HISTORI! "^ 


THE  POLITICAL    AND    MIUTARY    EVENTS 


THE  LATE  WAR 


VBH^lS^WL  f^B, 


0NITED  STATES  AND  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


BY  SAMUEL  PERKINS,  ESQ. 


NEW-HAVEN : 

PRINTED  AND  PUBLISHED  BY  S.  CONVERSE. 
1825. 


■:\ 


District  of  Connecticut,  ss. 

BE  TT  REMEMBERED,  That  on  the  twenty-ninth  day  of  June,  in  the 
"nrty-ninth  y«ar  of  the  Indepemlence  of  the  United  States  of  America 
SAMUEL  PERKINS,  of  the  said  District,  hath  deposited  in  this  Office 
Mifc  title  of  a  Booii,  the  right  whereof  he  clainas  as  Author,  in  the  words 
following,  to  wit  — 

'A  History  of  the  Political  and  Military  events   of  the  late  War  bn- 
tween  the  Lnited  States  and  Great  Britain.     By  Samuel  Perkins.  Esq." 

In  conformity  to  the  act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  entitled  »«  An  act  for  thf 
encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  Maps,  Charts,  and  Books,  to  the  authors 
and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during  tho  times  therein  mentioned  " 

^T.       ^^^  ^^.*^^  4    INGKRSOLL    Cleric  of  the  District  of  Connecticut. 

Atruecopyof  Record,  examined  by  me,  ''      «'""="»««■ 

CHARLES  A.  INGERSOLL,  Clerk  of  the  District  of  Connecticut. 


PREFACE. 


Custom  has  in  some  measure  rendered  a  pre- 
face a  necessary  part  of  a  book  ;  it  usually  contains 
the  author's  apology  for  writing,  his  exertions,  and 
the  difficulties  and  embarrassments  he  has  encoun- 
tered in  the  progress  of  his  work.  Waiving  these 
topics,  the  reader  is  here  presented  with  a  concise 
view  of  the  subjects  of  the  following  pages,  that  if  he 
feels  no  interest  in  them,  he  may  save  his  time  for 
more  valuable  purposes.  The  design  of  the  present 
volume  is,  to  state  in  a  clear  and  concise  manner — 

The  points  of  cuiitroversy  between  the  United 
States  and  Great  Britain,  which  induced  the  late 
war,  and  the  arguments  by  which  each  supported 
their  respective  claims  ; 

The  great  constitutional  and  national  questions  to 
which  the  war  gave  rise,  and  which  were  discussed 
and  settled  during  its  continuance ; 

The  debates  and  proceedings  of  Congress,  on  all 
the  important  measures  connected  with  the  war; 

The  circumstances  which  led  to  the  negotiation 
for  peace,  and  its  progress  and  result : 

And  tv?  give  a  faithful  detail  of  all  the  important 
military  and  naval  operations  during  the  war 

That  a  well  executed  work, embracing  these  objects, 
would  be  interesting  to  the  public,  cannot  be  doubt- 
ed. The  claims  set  up  by  the  two  great  European 
belligerent   powers,   to   control  neutral   commerce, 


M15099 


y^  PREFACE 

were  unprecedented  in  their  nature,  alarming  in 
their  extent,  and  destructive  in  their  operation. 
The  grounds  on  which  these  claims  were  made  and 
enforced,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  were 
resisted,  are  matters  of  deep  interest  to  the  citizens 
of  the  United  States.  In  the  progress  of  the  war, 
several  great  constitutional  questions  arose,  on  a 
correct  decision  of  which  the  most  important  inter- 
ests of  the  union  depended  ;  these  were  discussed 
with  much  ingenuitv  and  force  of  argument,  and 
the  points  adhered  to,  on  both  sides,  with  great 
tenacity. 

The  naval,  and  most  of  the  military  operations^ 
do  high  honour  to  American  skill  and  bravery  ;  and 
a  faithful  detail  of  them  ought  to  be  recorded.  The 
writer  presents  this  volume  to  the  public,  vvith  great 
diffidence,  and  respectfully  solicits  the  patronage  of 
his  feliow-citizens  :  should  it  prove  undeserving 
their  favour,  he  hopes  at  least,  it  will  induce  some 
abler  hand  to  do  justice  to  the  subject. 

It  is  a  delicate  task  to  relate  facts  while  the 
principal  actors  are  living ;  misrepresentations  or 
partial  statements  may  sometimes  intervene  to  the 
prejudice  of  individuals.  If  there  are  any  such, 
they  are  unintentional ;  many  times  they  may  be 
kpprehended  when  they  do  not  exist ;  in  those  cases 
it  is  the  fault  of  the  agent  and  not  of  the  writer 


CONTENTS. 


JChAp.  I.— Causes  of  the  war.  Aggressions  on  neutral  commerce.  Cplo- 
nia:  trade.  Rule  of  1756.  Armed  ueutrality  (  reaty  of  1794  Impress- 
ment. Blockade  of  1806.  Orders  in  council  of  January  1807,  and  Novem- 
ber 1807.  Berlin  and  Milan  decrees.  Embargo.  Non-intercourse,  and 
jQon-importation  laws.  Attack  on  the  Chesapeake.  Erskine  s  arrange- 
ment; Disavowed.  Monroe's  and  Pinckney's  treaty  rejected  Decision.^ 
of  British  prize  courts.  Disputes  with  Jackon.  Chami)agny's  letter  to 
Armstrong.  President's  proclamation  restoring  Freach  intercourse. 
Communications  to  the  British  government.     -         -         -         -         Page  9 

C'iiAP.  II. — First  meeting  of  twelfth  congress.  Message.  Correspond- 
ence between  Monroe  and  Foster.  Decisions  of  the  admiralty  courts  in 
the  case  of  the  Fox,  and  others.  Report  of  the  committee  of  foreign 
relations.  Arguments  of  the  minority  against  the  report.  John  Henry's 
papers.  His  instructions.  His  correspondence.  Inquiry  reapecting  him 
in  the  house  of  representatives.  Message  of  the  1st  of  June.  Report  of 
coinmittee  on  foreign  relations,  recommending  war.  Declaration  of  war. 
Address  of  the  minority  to  their  constituents.  Army  an,  navy  bill?; 
T'reasury  estimates.    Plan  of  finance  for  the  war.    Loan  for  1812.    Page  33 

Chap.  III. — Situation  of  the  United  States  at  the  declaration  of  the  war. 
Population.  Vlilitary  and  naval  ower.  State  of  Great  Britain.  Indian 
population;  ('haracter.  Tecumseh.  British  and  Indian  alliance.  Pro- 
ceedings of  the  several  tales,  in  relation  to  the  war.  Louisiana.  New- 
York.  Ohio.  New  Jersey.  Connecticut.  Report  of  the  committee  to 
th  legislature  of  Connecticut.  Viassachusetts.  Governor  Strong's  rea- 
sons for  not  calling  out  the  militia.  Opinion  of  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme 
Court  on  the  subject.  Resolutions  of  Maryland  on  the  subject  of  the  war. 
Of  Pennsylvania.  Report  of  the  secretary  at  war  on  the  powers  of  Con- 
gress relative  to  the  militia.  Proceedings  in  Canada  on  the  war.  Orders 
for  Governor  Prevost.  Governor  Brock's  address  to  the  legislature  of 
Upper  Canada.  Address  of  the  legislature  of  Upper  Canada  to  their  con. 
stituents.     Prince  Regent's  Manifesto.  .        -         -        -  Page  55 


vi  CONTENTS. 

Chap.'IV. — Plan  of  military  operations  for  the  campaign  of  1812.  General 
Hull  appointed  to  the^command  of  the;  northern  army.  Rendezvous  at 
Urbanna.  Their  march  to  the  rapids  of  the  Miami.  A  sloop,  with  Gen.  Hull's 
baggage  and  papers,  and  the  hospital  stores,  taken  at  Maiden.  Arrival  of 
the  army  at  Detroit.  Invasion  of  Canada.  General  Huil's  proclamation. 
Head-quarters  at  Sandwich.  Col.  M'Arthur's  expedition  to  the  Thames. 
Col.  Cass  proceeds  to  the  river  Auxlanards.  Main  body  return  to  Detroit. 
Capt  Brush  arrives  at  the  river  Raisin  with  supplies.  Major  Vanhorn 
detached  to  escort  him.  Surprised  by  an  ambuscade  and  defeated.  Col. 
Mill'-r  detached  to  the  same  place.  Battle  of  Magua^o.  Col.  Miller 
returns.  Cols.  I'Arthur  and  Cass  detached  to  the  same  i)lace  ;  ordered 
to  return.  General  Brock's  address  to  the  Canadians.  Arrives  W)th  rein- 
forcements at  Maiden.  Bombards  the  fort  Irom  the  opposite  bank. 
Crosses  the  river  and  advances  to  assault  the  fort.  General  Hull  capitu- 
lates. American  forces  and  property  taken.  British  forces.  Court  mar- 
tial ordered.  Charges  and  specifications  against  Gen.  Hull.  His  defence. 
Sentence  of  the  Court. Page  77 

Chap.  V. — Proceedings  of  the  western  states  in  consequence  of  Hull's  defeat. 
Army  under  General  Hanison.  Defence  effort  Harrison  Geueral  Hop- 
kins's expedition  against  the  Kickapoo  town;  against  the  Prophet's  town. 
Progress  of  the  army  under  Gen.  Harrieon  towards  the  Miami  rapids. 
Fort  Wayne.  Fort  Defiance.  General  Tupper's  expedition  to  the  rapids. 
Colonel  Campbell's  expedition  against  the  Messessiwena  towns.  Battle  at 
the  river  Raisin  Defeat  and  capture  of  General  Wmchester's  army. 
Cruelties  of  the  British  and  Indians.  Description  of  the  Niagara  frontier. 
Proceedings  of  General  Van  Rensselaer.  Battle  of  Queenston.  Militia 
refuse  to  cross  the  river.  The  American  army  captured.  General 
Smyth's  proclamations ;  attempts  to  pass  into  Canada,  and  fails  Duel 
between  Generals  Smyth  and  Porter.  Proceedings  of  the  army  of  the 
north.     Causes  of  the  failure  of  the  campaign  of  1812.       -       -       Page  93 

Chap.  VI. — Plan  of  defence  on  the  sea-board.  American  frigates  sail. 
Cruise  of  Commodore  Rodgers's  squadron.  Cruise  of  the  Constitution. 
Capture  of  the  Guerriere.  Cruise  of  the  Essex  Capture  of  the  Alert- 
Capture  of  the  Frolic :  and  of  the  Wasp  and  Frolic  by  the  Poictiers. 
Capture  of  the  Macedonian.  Arrival  ofthe  United  States  and  Macedonian. 
The  flag  of  the  Macedonian  sent  to  Washington.  Second  cruise  of  the 
Constitution.  Capture  of  the  Java.  Rule  for  distributing  prize  money. 
Success  of  Privateers.  Number  and  value  of  British  vessels  captured  in 
1812.  East-Florida  Frontier.  Colonel  Newman's  expedition.  Repeal  of 
the  orders  in  council.  First  proposition  of  Mr.  Russell  for  an  armistice. 
Loid  Castlereagh's  reply.  Second  proposition  and  reply.  Admiral  War- 
ren's proposition  for  an  armistice.    Mr.  Monroe's  reply.        -        Page  119 


CONTENTS.  vii 

Chaf.  vii. — Second  session  ol  the  twelfth  Congress.  Report  of  the  com- 
mittee of  foreign  relations.  Law  prohibiting  the  employment  of  foreign 
seamen,  lleport  of  the  committee  on  military  affairs.  Debutes  on  the 
expediency  of  continuing,  and  manner  of  conducting  the  war.  Army  bills 
passed.  Report  of  committee  on  naval  affairs.  Comparison  between 
seventy-fours  and  frigates.  Dry  dock  recommended.  Navy  bills  passed. 
Treasury  estimates.  lleport  ot committee  o;  ways  and  means.  Revenue 
bills  passed.  emission  of  penalties  on  goods  imported  after  the  revocation 
of  the  orders  in  council.     Law  authorizing  retaliation  passed.         Page  143 

Chap  VIII. — British  plan  of  the  campaign  for  1813.  American  plan. 
Division  of  (he  United  States  into  military  districts.  Arrival  of  the  British 
reinforcements  at  Bermuda.  Proclamations  of  blockade.  Ai  rival  and 
proceedings  of  the  squadron  in  the  Delaware.  Arrival  of  the  British 
squadron  at  Lynnhaven  bay.  Plundering  ou  the  shores  of  the  Chesapeake. 
Burning  of  Havre  de  Grace.  Plundering  and  i>urning  of  Fredericktown, 
and  Georgetowu.  Arrival  of  Admiral  Warren,  and  Sir  Sidney  cJeckwith, 
Vfiih  reinforcements.  Norfolk  threatened.  Attack  on  Craney  Island. 
Capture  of  Hampton.  Plunder  and  outrages  at  Hampton.  Correspond- 
ence between  the  American  and  British  generals  on  the  aubject  of  the  out- 
rages. Attempt  to  destroy  the  Plantagenet  with  a  torpedo.  An  attempt 
on  the  Ramilies  with  a  torpedo  and  a  fire-ship.  Squadron  proceed  up  the 
Poti>mac  and  threaten  Alexandria  and  Washinj;ton.  Proceed  up  the  bay 
and  threaten  Annapolis  and  Baltimore.  Admiral  Cockburn  proceeds  to 
the  south.  Blockade  of  Commodore  Decatur's  squadron  at  New-London. 
Naval  challenge.     Decline.  --_._.  pa„e  157 

Chap.  IX. — Naval  affairs.  Cruise  of  the  President.  Of  ihe  Congress.  Of 
the  Hornet.  Capture  of  the  Peacock.  Captain  Lawrence  appointed  to 
the  command  of  the  Chesapeake.  Challenge  of  the  Shannon;  accepted. 
Capture  of  the  Chesapeake.  Funeral  of  Lawrence  and  Ludlow,  at  Halilax. 
Their  i.'odies  removed  to  New- York.  Funeral  honours  at  Salem  and  New- 
York.  Cruise  and  capture  of  the  Argus.  Death  of  Captain  Allen.  Battle 
between  the  Enterprise  and  Boxer,  and  capture  of  the  latter.  Death 
and  uneral  honours  of  both  commanders.  Cruise  of  the  Essex  in  the 
Atlantic,  Her  arrival  in  the  Pacific.  Capture  of  a  Peruvian  corsair. 
Capture  of  whale  ships.  Establishmeat  at  Madison  Island.  Essex  junior. 
Arrival  of  British  squadron,  t^lockadc  of  the  Essex.  Battle  between 
her  and  the  British  squadron.  Capture  of  the  Essex.  Return  of  Cnptrda 
Porter  and  crew  to  the  United  States.  Number  and  value  of  British  prizes 
in  1813. Fege  173 

Chap.  X. — Mobile  occupied ;  annexed  to  th©  Mississippi  Territory.  Span- 
ish autaorities  removed  to  Pensaccla.  Southern  Indians.  Methods  tdken 
by  the  United  States  to  civilize  them.     Visited  by  Tecumseh.    lustigiitcd 


vifi  CONTENTS. 

to  war.  Masacre  at  Fort  Mimms.  Proceedings  in  Tennessee  and  Georgia 
relating  to  the  Creek  war.  Tennessee  forces  under  General  Jackson. 
Battle  at  Tallushatchea.  Tallageda.  Destruction  of  the  Hillabee  towns 
by  General  White.  Proceedings  of  the  Georgia  forces  under  General 
Floyd.  Battle  at  the  Autosse  I  owns.  Battle  at  Camp  Defiance.  Gen- 
eral Claiborne's  expedition  against  Eccanachaca.  Battle.  Term  of 
t-ervice  of  General  Jackson's  volunteers  expires.  Most  of  them  leave  him. 
His  army  recruited.  His  first  expedition  to  the  Great  Bend  of  the  Talla- 
poosa. Battle.  Returns  to  fort  Strotber.  Battle  at  Enotachopeo  Creek. 
Second  expedition  to  the  Great  Bend.  Battle.  End  of  the  Creek  war. 
Treaty.     Rapid  settlement  of  the  country  by  the  whites.       -        Page  193 

Chap.  XI.— Siege  of  Fort  Meigs.  Arrival  of  General  Clay  to  its  relief. 
Defeat  and  capture  of  Colonel  Dudley's  detachment.  Siege  raised.  Gen- 
eral Harrison's  measures  for  the  defence  of  the  Lake  Erie  frontier. 
Gallant  Defence  of  Fort  Stephenson.  Address  of  the  ladies  of  Chillicothe  to 
Major  Crogan.  The  reply.  Preparations  for  building  a  navy  on  Lake 
Erie,  Naval  Depot  at  the  town  of  Erie.  Commodore  Perry  appointed  to 
the  command ;  superintends  the  building  a  fltet ;  anchors  at  Put-in-Bay. 
Naval  Battle.  Complete  victory  of  the  Americans.  Proctor  determines  to 
abandon  Maiden.  Remonstrance  of  the  Indians.  Speech  of  Tecumseh. 
Harrison  prepares  to  invade  Canada ;  re-occupies  Detroit ;  pursues  Proc- 
tor up  the  Thames.  Battle  of  the  Morav  an  towns.  Defeat  and  capture 
of  Proctor's  army.  Capture  of  his  baggage  and  papers.  Death  of  Tecum- 
seh.    Disso.ution  of  the  InJian  conl'ederacy.     Eflfects  of  the  victory. 

Page  217 

Chap,  XIL — Montreal.  Back  passage  from  Montreal  to  the  upper  lakes. 
British  naval  force  on  Lake  Ontario.  American,  under  Commodore 
Chauncey.  Military  force  destined  for  a  descent  on  Montreal.  Expe- 
ditions against  York.  Death  of  General  Pike.  Attack  on  Sackett's  Har- 
bour. Capture  of  Fort  George.  British  retire  to  Burling-ton  Heights, 
Battle  at  Stoney  Creek.  Capture  of  Generals  Chandler  and  Winder. 
Battle  at  the  Beaver  Dams.  Capture  of  Colonel  Boerstler's  detachment. 
Colonel  Scott's  expedition  to  Burlington  Heights  and  York.  General 
Wilkinson  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  northern  army.  Arrives  at 
Sackett's  Harbour.  Makes  arrangements  for  a  descent  on  Montreal. 
War  department  removed  to  Sackett's  Harbour,  Troops  embark  from 
Fort  George  for  Grenadier  Island.  Sailing  of  the  flotilla  from  French 
Creek.  Descent  on  the  St.  Lawrence.  Pursuit  of  the  British.  Battle  at 
Williamsburgh.  General  Covington  killed.  Flotilla  arrives  at  the  foot 
of  the  Long  Sault.  General  Hampton  refuses  to  join  the  expedition. 
Correspondence  between  him  and  General  Wilkinson.  Expedition  aban- 
doned.  Army  go  into  winter-quarters  at  French  Mills.  General  Hamp- 
ton advances  U>  Chatauguay.    Returns  to  Plattsburgh.    Vermont  militift 


COJNTENTS.  ix 

uailod  „out  (by  the  war  department  to  guard  Plattsburgih  Ordered  to 
return  by  Governor  Chittenden.  Causes  of  the  failure  of  the  expedition. 
Defence  of  the  Niagara  frontier  intrusted  to  General  M'Clure  and  the 
New-York  militia.  Evacuation  of  Fort  George  and  burning  of  Newark. 
Fort  Niagara  taken.  Massacre.  Burning  of  the  Niagara  frontier.  Militia 
retire  to  Batavia.     Governor  Provost's  proclamation,    -        -      Page  243 

Chap.  XHI.— Presidential  election.  Inaugural  address.  Meeting  of  the  13th 
Congress.  Message.  Treasury  report.  Report  of  committee  of  ways  and 
means.  Direct  taxes  and  internal  duties.  Mr.  Webster's  resolutions  on 
the  suppression  of  the  French  decree  of  28th  of  April,  181 1 .  Report  of  the 
secretary  of  state  thereon.  Report  of  the  committee  of  foreign  relations. 
Massachusetts'  remonstrance  against  the  war.  British  licenses  prohibited. 
Report  of  the  committee  on  British  outrages.  Retaliation.  British  claim 
of  natural  allegiance.  American  claim.  Proceedings  with  prisoners. 
Report  of  the  secretary  of  s.ate  on  allegiance.  Second  session  of  the  13th 
Congress.  Message.  Confidential  communication,  recommending  an 
embargo.  Report  of  committee  of  foreign  relations.  Embargo  laid. 
Message,  and  report  thereon,  recommending  the  repeal  of  the  embargo. 
Treasury  report.  Expenditures  for  1813.  Estimates  for  1814.  Bounty 
increased.     Steamfrigatebuilt.     Loan  bill  passed.     Close  of  the  session. 

Page  273 

€hap.  XIV. — State  of  Europe  at  the  commencement  of  the  year  1814.  Its 
effects  on  the  American  war.  British  plan  of  the  campaign  of  1814. 
American  system  of  defence.  Arrival  of  the  Bordeaux  and  Mediterranean 
squadron  and  troops  in  the  Chesapeake.  Landing  at  Benedict.  March  to 
Washington.  Battle  of  Bladensburgh,  Capture  and  burning  of  Washing- 
ton. Retreat  of  the  British  forces.  Capitulation  and  plunder  of  Alexan- 
dria.    Causes  of  the  disasters  in  the  District  of  Columbia.      -        Page  301 

Ch  Ap.  XV.— Admiral  Cochrane's  letter,  threatening  to  lay  waste  the  coast 
The  secretary's  reply.  The  President's  proclamation.  Baltimore  threat- 
ened. Plan  of  defence.  Landing  of  the  British  on  the  Patapsco.  Gen- 
eral Ross  slain.  Battle  of  the  12th  September.  British  reconnoitre  the 
American  lines  and  retreat.  Re-embark.  Attack  on  Fort  M'Henry, 
Brave  defence.  British  repulsed.  Proceed  down  the  Bay.  Leave  the 
Chesapeake.  Burning  the  shipping  at  Pettipaug.  Attack  on  Stonington, 
Gallant  defence.  Capture  of  Eastport.  Castine,  and  the  eastern  coast. 
Destruction  of  the  frigate  Adams.  Plunder  of  the  towns  on  the  coast  of 
Massachusetts. -        -  Page  333 

Chap.  XVI.— Naval  operations  in  1814.  Cruise  of  the  Peacock.  Adams. 
Wasp.  Privateer  General  Armstrong.  Capture  of  the  President.  Cruise 
of  the  Hornet;  of  the  Constitution.  Number  and  value  of  captures  from 
the  British  in  1814.  Number  and  value  of  ships  taken  during  the  war. 
General  result  of  the  naval  war.         .        ,        ^        ^        -  Page  353 

1 


*  CONTENTS. 

Chap.  XVII.--6eaeral  Wilkinson  retires  from  the  French  Mills.  Affair  ol 
La  Cole  Mill.  State  of  the  British  and  American  navy  on  Lake  Ontario. 
Attack  on  Oswego.  Burning  ot  Long  Point.  General  Brown  takes  the 
command  on  the  Niagara  troniier.  Fort  Erie  surrenders.  Battle  of  Chip- 
pewa. Death  of  General  Swift.  Burning  of  St.  Davids.  Battle  of 
Niagara.  Capture  of  General  Riall.  Exchange  of  General  Drummond's 
Aid  for  the  corpse  of  General  Brown's.  General  Gaines  takes  the  com- 
mand. Asiault  on  Fort  Erie.  Explosion.  Sortie  on  the  British  works. 
The  seige  raised.  General  Izard  arrives  with  reinforcements  and  takes  the 
command.  Retires  from  Fort  Erie.  General  result  of  the  campaign  on 
the  Niagara .  Page  363. 

Chaj?.  XVIII.— Colonel  Crogan's  expedition  to  Lake  Huron.  Unsuccessful 
attempt  on  Michillimackinae.  Destroy?  the  British  post  at  Nautawesago 
river.  Returns  to  Detroit.  Capture  of  two  American  schooners  on  Lake 
Huron.  Arrival  of  reinforcements  at  Quebec.  General  Izard's  army 
leaves  Flattsburgh  for  Niagara.  General  Prevost  advances  in  force  front 
Montreal  towards  Plattsburgh.  Enters  PI attsburgh,  and  encamps  on  the 
left  of  the  Saranac.  Waits  the  approach  of  his  fleet.  Naval  battle  on 
the  11th  of  September,  on  the  bay  of  Plattsburgh.  M'Donough's  victory. 
Simultaneous  attack  on  the  American  lines.  British  attempt  to  cross  the 
Saranac ;  are  repulsed.  Retreat  of  the  British  army  from  Plattsburgh, 
Amount  of  the  British  and  American  land  and  naval  forces.  Losses  in 
each  army  and  navy. p^^^  ggr 

Chap.  XIX.— New-Orleans,  Proceedings  at  Pensacola.  Arrival  of  a 
British  naval  force  at  that  place.  N=choll's  address  to  the  Louisianians. 
Negotiations  with  the  Pirates  of  Barrataria.  Commodore  Patterson's  ex- 
pedition against  them.  Unsuccessful  expedition  against  Mobile.  General 
♦Jackson  enters  Pensacola  with  a  military  force ;  expels  the  British. 
Armament  sails  from  the  West  Indies  against  New-Orleaus.  Ni-.holl's  em- 
bassy to  the  Choctaws.  General  Jackson's  arrival ;  proclaims  martial  law. 
Measures  of  defence.  Fort  St.  Philips  garrisoned.  Arrival  of  the  British 
.-armament  at  ship  Island.  Capture  of  the  American  flotilla  on  Lake  Bergne. 
Landing  of  the  British  at  Bayou  Bienvenu.  Battle  of  th.-  23d  ol  Decem- 
fcer.  Of  the  1st  of  January.  Decisive  victory  of  the  8th.  Bombardment 
effort  St.  Philips.     Retreat  ot  the  British.    Capture  of  Fort  Boyer. 

Page  398 

Chap.  XX —Treatment  of  American  seamen  in  British  service  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war.  Colonel  Eeasley's  correspondence  with  the  British 
government  on  the  subject.  Those  who  refuse  to  serve,  treated  as  prison- 
ers of  war,  and  confined  in  Dartmoor  prison.  Description  of  that  place. 
Number  of  American  prisoners  confined  there.  Escape  of  Lieutenant  R. 
a    Attack  upon,  ?.nd  slaughter  of  the  Prisoners  on  the  6th  of  April,  ISlf.. 


CONTENTS.  ad 

Heport  of  joint  cotntuissioners  appointed  to  examine  the  subject.  Meeting 
oithe  legislature  of  Vlassachusetts,  October  1814.  View  of  the  situation 
of  that  state.  Governor's  message  and  documents.  Report  of  committee 
recommending  a  convention  of  delegates  from  the  New-England  States. 
Protest  of  the  minority  against  the  report .  Proceedings  of  those  states  on 
the  subject.  Meeting  of  the  delegates  at  Hartford.  Their  povsrers  ex- 
amined. Their  journal,  proceedings,  and  report.  Proceedings  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  Connecticut  on  the  report  of  the  convention.  Amendments  to 
the  constitution  recommended.  Transmitted  to  the  other  states,  and 
rejected.  -- -  Page  422 

Ghap.  XXI. — Third  session  of  the  13th  Congress.  Message.  Proposition  to 
remove  the  seat  of  government ;  negatived.  Mr.  Dullas  appointed  to  the 
treasury  department.  His  expose.  His  propositions  for  the  improvement 
of  the  finances.  His  scheme  for  a  national  bank.  The  bill  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  bank  passed  both  houses.  Disapproved  by  the  President.  Re- 
turned and  negatived.  State  of  the  circulating  medium,  and  of  public  and 
private  credit.  Duties  of  the  secretary  at  war  assigned  to  Mr.  Monroe. 
His  expose  of  the  state  of  the  army,  and  the  recruiting  service.  His  plan 
for  raising  an  army  for  the  year  1815.  Mr.  Giles's  bill  adopted.  Report  of 
the  secretary  of  the  navy.  .         -         _         ^         -         -  Page  458 

Chap.  XXII — Russian  mediation  proposed  to  Mr.  Adams.  Communicated 
to  the  American  government.  Accepted  Appointment  of  envoys.  Their 
instructions.  Mediation  rejected  by  the  Prince  Regent.  British  proposi- 
tion for  a  direct  negotiation.  Accepted  by  the  United  States.  Appoint- 
ment of  additional  envoys.  Their  instructions.  Meeting  of  the  British  and 
American  envoys  at  Ghent.  British  propositions,  and  ultimatum.  Ameri- 
can proi'ositions.  British  envoys  communicate  with  their  government,  and 
receive  different  instructions.  Their  ultimatum  waived  The  negotia- 
tions proceed,  and  terrninte  in  a  treaty  of  peace.  Treaty  ratified  by  both 
governments.  Proceedings  at  New-Orleans  immediately  after  the  peace. 
Rejoicings  throughout  the  United  States.  President's  message,  communi- 
cating the  subject  to  Congress.  Peace  establishment.  Effects  of  the  war 
on  the  national  character.  --_„...  Page  48^ 


ISEBATA 

i'age    91,  line  16th  of  note,  for  proceed  read  preside. 
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(or  four  read /air. 
for  J^ease  read  Neuse, 
for  advance  read  flf6««nee. 
(or  companies  read  commissioners 
for  gallant  read  galling, 
for  jBa/Z  read  fiw//. 
for  conducted  read  induced. 
for  9,320  rea  1  9,320,000. 
for  or  read  as. 
for  across  read  access. 
for  6/anfc  read  j^anfc. 
for  Dobney  read  Dnbney. 
for  Lanohue  read  Larabet. 
for  Hendman  read  Hndman. 
for  rc/M/ning  read  retiring- 
for  soiZ  read  wi/. 
for  <oiiOTi  read  fttm. 


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'1  1?9V* 

HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR. 

CHAPTER  I.  ^j^\j^r^  nmqmii^'- 


Causes  of  the  War. — Aggressions  on  Neutral  Commerce. — Colonial 
Trade.— Rule  of  1756.— Armed  Neutrality.— Treaty  of  1794.— Im- 
pressment— Blockade  of  1806. — Orders  in  Council  of  January  1807^ 
of  November  1807. — Berlin  and  Milan  decrees. — Embargo — Non- 
Intercourse,and  Non-Importation  Laws. — Attack  on  the  Chesapeake.-* 
Erskine's  Arrangement ;  Disavowed. — Monroe  *s  andPinckney'sTreaty 
rejected. — Decisions  of  British  Prize  Courts. — Disputes  with  Jack- 
son— Champagny's  letter  to  Armstrong. — President's  Proclamation 
restoring  French  Intercourse. — Communications  to  the  British  Gov- 
ernment. 

Neutral  Rights.  For  a  century  past,  Great  Bntain  has 
been  the  predominant  naval  power,  and  during  a  great  por- 
tion of  the  time  engaged  in  contests  with  other  nations. 
Her  wars  have  partaken  much  of  the  maritime  character. 
As  a  belligerent  possessing  superior  naval  force,  her 
interest  has  always  led  her,  and  her  efforts  have  uniformly 
been  exerted,  to  restrict  neutral  maritime  rights.  These,  as 
recognised  in  the  code  of  National  Law,  are  simple  and  defi- 
nite ;  authorizing  the  neutral  to  maintain  its  accustomed 
friendly  relations  with  each  belHgerent ;  and  to  enjoy  an 
unrestrained  commerce  with  both,  except  in  articles  contra- 
band of  war,  enemy's  property,  and  with  ports  actually  in- 
vested with  a  competent  stationary  force. 


iO  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR  Chap:  f. 

Rule  of  1756.  In  the  year  1756,  a  war  commenced 
between  Great  Britain  and  France,  relating  to  their  colonial 
possessions  in  America.  France  being  the  weaker  naval 
power,  was  unable  to  maintain  her  accustomed  trade  with  her 
West  India  Islands,  and  opened  it  to  neutrals.  To  interrupt 
and  destroy  this  intercourse,  so  beneficial  to  France  and  her 
colonies,  and  so  lucrative  to  neutrals,  Great  Britain  of  her 
•  own  authority  introduced  this  new  principle  of  national  law  : 
"  That  no  other  trade  should  be  allowed  to  neutrals,  with  the 
colonies  of  a  belligerent  in  time  of  war,  than  what  is  allowed 
by  the  parent  state  in  time  of  peace." 

European  nations  possessing  colonies  abroad,  unless  on 
extraordinary  occasions,  and  for  very  limited  periods,  restrict 
their  trade  entirely  to  themselves,  furnishing  the  colonies  with 
their  manufactures  and  surplus  productions,  and  in  return 
taking  the  produce  of  the  colonies  to  market :  and  in  this  way 
rendering  them  subservient  to  the  interests  of  their  parent 
state.  This  new  British  principle  operated  as  a  prohibition  of 
all  neutral  trade  with  the  colonies  of  the  belligerent.  Vessels 
engaged  in  the  French  colonial  trade,  were  declared  to  he 
French  by  adoption,  and  subject  to  capture  and  condemna- 
tion. Unfortunately  for  the  interests  of  commerce,  there  was 
no  nation  at  this  period  able  and  willing  to  resist  this  first 
encroachment  upon  neutral  rights,  at  the  expense  of  war ;  and 
Great  Britain  continued  the  practice  until  the  peace  of  1763 ; 
and  in  all  her  subsequent  wars  has  claimed  the  same,  principle 
under  the  title  of  the  rule  of  the  war  of  1 756  as  being  part  of  the 
code  of  nations. 

Armed  Neutrality  of  1780.  In  the  year  1780  the  war  of 
the  American  revolution  had  extended  to  France  and  Spain, 
and  assumed  a  maritime  character.  Infringements  on  neutral 
commerce,  to  an  alarming  extent,  were  the  immediate  conse- 
<j:oence.  The  rule  of  the  war  of  1756  was  revived,  blockades 
by  pxoclamation  were  introduced,  and  the  list  of  contraband 
arbitrarily  enlarged.     To  resist  these  encroachments,  and 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  11 

protect  neutral  maritime  rights,  Russia,  Sweden,  Denmark^ 
and  Holland,  formed  a  treaty  of  alliance,  denominated  the 
armed  neutrality  of  1780,  by  which  they  pledged  themselve* 
to  support,  at  the  hazard  of  war'if  necessary  with  either  of 
the  belligerents,  these  principles — 

"  That  it  should  be  lawful  for  any  ships  to  sail  freely 
from  one  port  to  another,  or  along  the  coast  of  the  powers  at 
war. 

"  That  all  merchandise  and  effects  belonging  to  the  subjects 
of  the  belligerent  powers,  and  shipped  in  neutral  bottoms, 
should  be  entirely  free.  nluu 

"  That  no  place  should  be  considered  as  blockaded,  ex- 
cept the  assailing  power  had  taken  a  station  so  as  to  expose 
to  imminent  danger  any  ship  attempting  to  sail  in  or  out  of 
such  ports, 

"  That  no  neutral  ships  should  be  stopped,  without  a  mate- 
rial and  well-grounded  cause  :  and  in  such  cases  justice  shouM 
be  done  them  withoat  delay."* 

A  powerful  naval  armament  was  raised  by  the  parties  to 
this  treaty,  to  enforce  its  principles,  by  which  belligerent  en- 
croachments were  checked  for  a  time ;  but  it  resulted  m  Great 
Britain's  persevering  in  her  claims,  and  making  Holland  a 
party  to  the  war. 

Proclamation  of  Neutrality  1793.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  European  war  in  1792,  the  American  government 
determined  upon  a  strict  and  impartial  neutrality,  as  their  only 
safe  and  honourable  course  :  and  in  April  1793,  the  President 
issued  a  proclamation,  declaring  that  to  be  the  relation  in 
which  the  United  States  stood  towards  the  European  bel- 
figerents;  and  enjoining  it  on  all  the  citizens  to  refrain  from 
any  acts  of  hostility  towards  either  of  the  powers  of  war.l^ 


♦  Treaty  of  neutrality,  1780. 
tyroclamation  of  neutrality^ 793, 


12  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR-  Ckap.  \, 

During  tlie  first  periods  of  the  French  revolution,  the  feelings 
of  the  American  people  were  altogether  engaged  on  the  side 
of  what  was  then  considered  the  cause  of  liberty.  A  senti- 
ment of  gratitude  towards  France  for  the  aid  she  afforded  the 
United  States  in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  as  well  as  a  recol- 
lection of  the  recent  sufferings  from  the  English,  created  and 
cherished  strong  predilections  in  favour  of  the  French.  The 
proclamation  of  neutrality  was  well  adapted  to  prevent  any  ill 
effects  which  might  arise  from  the  excess  of  these  feelings.  In 
the  progress  of  that  war,  however,  there  grew  up  in  France  a 
military  despotism,  alarming  in  its  appearance,  terrible  in  its 
progress,  and  threatening  universal  dominion  :  the  contest 
at  length  became  a  struggle  on  the  part  of  France  for  univer- 
sal empire  ;  on  the  part  of  the  other  continental  powers,  for 
national  existence  ;  and  on  the  part  of  England,  for  the  domin- 
ion of  the  ocean.  Neutral  rights,  at  first  partially  respected' 
were  in  the  progress  of  the  contest  altogether  disregarded. 
At  an  early  period  of  this  war,  the  course  which  Great  Britain 
kad  determined  to  pursue  in  relation  to  neutrals  began  to  de- 
velope  itself. 

British  Aggressions,  On  the  8th  of  June,  1 793,  an  order 
in  council  issued  from  the  British  cabinet,  by  virtue  of  which 
all  vessels  laden  wholly  or  in  part  with  bread-stuffs,  bound  to 
any  port  in  France,  or  places  occupied  by  French  armies, 
were  required  to  be  carried  into  England,  and  their  cargoes 
either  there  disposed  of,  or  security  given  that  they  should 
be  sold  only  in  the  ports  of  a  country  in  amity  with  Great 
Britain.* 

On  the  6th  of  the  following  November,  claiming  to  revive 
the  rule  of  the  war  of  1756,  another  order  in  council  was  issued, 
and  silently  circulated  among  the  British  cruizers,  without 
notice  to  American  merchants,  directing  "  all  vessels  laden 


*  British  provision  order  of  June  1793, 


IS^a.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  13 

with  goods,  the  produce  of  any  colony  of  France,  or  carry- 
ing provisions  or  supplies  for  such  colony,  to  be  seized  and 
brought  in  for  adjudication."*  Some  relaxation  in  the  rigour, 
without  any  alteration  in  the  principle  of  this  order  was  intro- 
duced by  a  subsequent  one  of  January  8th,  1794,  which  con- 
fined its  operation  to  such  vessels  as  were  proceeding  from,  or 
bound  directly  to,  Europe. 

At  the  time  of  issuing  the  order,  France  had  opened  the 
ports  of  her  West  India  colonies  to  neutral  trade.  American 
merchants  were  engaged  in  it  to  a  great  extent ;  and  their 
property  to  the  amount  of  many  millions  was  swept  from  the 
ocean,  carried  into  British  ports,  and  condemned. 

This  conduct  was  attempted  to  be  justified  on  the  part  of 
Great  Britain,  on  the  ground  of  expediency  ;  her  arguments 
were,  that  if  the  neutral  colonial  trade  were  permitted,  she 
would  be  deprived  of  all  substantial  good  derivable  from  her 
naval  superiority,  and  the  neutral  be  the  only  power  bene- 
fited :  that  she  was  maintaining  immense  fleets  and  armies 
to  no  valuable  purpose  to  herself,  if  her  enemy  might  enjoy 
his  colonial  commerce  through  the  medium  of  neutrals  :  that 
the  neutral  could  have  no  right  to  claim  the  enjoyment  of  this 
commerce,  which  was  interdicted  to  him,  by  the  belligerent 
herself  in  time  of  peace. 

American  Principles,  These  principles  were  resisted  on  the 
part  of  the  United  States,  on  the  ground  that  the  law  of 
nations  warranted  no  such  pretensions ;  that  France  and 
America  were  at  peace  ;  that  with  the  exception  of  contra- 
band of  war,  and  enemy's  property,  she  had  a  right  to  trade 
with  France  and  her  colonies,  in  such  manner,  in  such  articles, 
and  to  such  an  extent,  as  suited  their  mutual  convenience, 
without  the  interference  of  Great  Britain,  While  the  goods 
were  American  property,  sailing  on  the  ocean  under  the  Amer- 


*  British  order  in  councU  of  Nov.  6th,  1793. 


14  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  I, 

ican  flag,  they  were  not  liable  to  capture,  because  they  might 
be  destined  to  France.  All  trade,  say  they,  is  founded  on  the 
mutual  convenience  and  wants  of  the  parties  ;  if  this  spe- 
cies of  trade  might  be  prohibited  because  France  would  re- 
ceive a  benefit  from  it,  so  indeed  might  all  others  ;  and  the 
consequence  would  be  a  suspension  of  trade,  or  a  general  state 
of  war.  That  the  principles  contended  for  by  the  United 
States  had  been  recognised  by  Great  Britain  in  regulating 
the  trade  of  her  own  colonies  ;  she  having  frequently  relaxed 
her  colonial  system  in  time  of  war,  whenever  the  good  of  her 
colonies  or  her  own  convenience  required  it,  never  admitting 
the  principle  that  a  neutral,  taking  advantage  of  such  relaxa- 
tion, infringed  any  beUigerent  rights.  Principles  so  benefi- 
cjal  to  France  in  the  present  state  of  her  contest  with  Great 
Britain,  did  not  fail  to  obtain  the  full  support  of  the  French 
government.  America  was  required  to  maintain  them  at 
'every  hazard. 

Jay'^s  Treaty.  The  American  Congress  was  in  session 
when  the  first  intelligence  of  the  proceedings  of  the  British 
cruizers,  and  prize  courts  under  the  orders  of  the  6th  of  No- 
vember, 1 793,  reached  the  United  States.  A  very  high  degree 
of  excitement  was  the  immediate  consequence.  Petitions  for 
redress  were  presented  to  Congress  from  all  quarters  ;  and 
retaliatory  measures  which  must  have  ended  in  war,  were 
strenuously  urged.  At  this  period  the  President  nominated  a 
special  envoy  to  the  court  of  St.  James,  to  seek  redress  for 
these  grievances,  and  negotiate  a  treaty  of  amity  and  com- 
merce. This  mission,  if  successful,  would  remove  the  cause  ; 
if  otherwise,  every  American  would  unite  in  defence  of  their 
rights :  it  suspended  all  legislative  proceedings  of  a  hostile 
character,  and  resulted  in  a  treaty  making  provision  for  the 
payment  of  damages  for  losses  sustained  under  illegal  cap- 
tures and  condemnations.  From  this  time  until  the  peace  of 
Amiens  in  1802,  the  American  commerce  continued  subject  to 


1812,  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  IS 

occasional  aggressions  from  the  British  marine,  though  not  in 
the  same  systematic  manner  as  before  the  treaty  of  1794. 

Impressment,  In  the  early  stages  of  the  European  war, 
Great  Britain  advanced  another  claim  which  threatened  de- 
struction to  the  commerce  of  America,  and  struck  at  the  foun- 
dation of  her  independence.  The  high  wages,  mild  treat- 
ment, and  security  from  danger,  enjoyed  by  sailors  on  board 
American  merchant  vessels,  afforded  strong  and  irresistible 
inducements  for  British  seamen  to  seek  employment  in  Amer- 
ican navigation  ;  while  the  extended  commerce  of  the  United 
States  made  it  equally  the  interest  of  the  merchant  to  employ 
them.  The  British  government  viewed  this  desertion  of  their 
seamen  as  a  fatal  blow  to  power,  and  as  depriving  them  of 
the  means  of  defence  and  conquest. 

In  time  of  war.  Great  Britain  claimed  a  right  to  the  services 
of  all  her  subjects,  and  insisted  that  a  person  born  within  the 
realm  owed  to  the  government  a  natural  and  unalienable  alle- 
giance, which  no  length  of  time,  absence  from  home,  or  resi- 
dence and  naturalization  in  foreign  states,  could  cancel.  That 
at  the  command  of  their  sovereign,  every  natural  born  subject, 
wherever  he  might  be,  or  whatever  engagements  he  might  have 
contracted  with  other  powers  was  bound  to  return,  and  fight 
the  battles  of  his  country. 

In  accordance  with  these  principles,  the  Prince  Regent  issued 
a  proclamation  forbidding  the  employment  of  British  sea- 
men in  foreign  service,  and  ordering  such  as  were  absent,  or 
thus  employed,  to  return.  The  commanding  officers  of  Brit- 
ish armed  vessels,  were  authorized  and  directed  to  board 
neutral  merchantmen,  and  compel  all  British  seamen  found  on 
board  to  enter  their  service.  The  execution  of  this  order, 
intrusted  to  men  always  interested,  many  times  incompetent, 
and  often  unprincipled,  without  appeal,  or  any  mode  of  redress, 
was  a  continued  source  of  vexation,  hazard,  and  oppression 
to  neutral  commerce.  The  sameness  of  language,  and  simi- 
larity of   manners  in  British  and  American  seamen,  ren- 


IS  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  t. 

dered  it  impossible  for  the  British  commander,  if  disposed,  to 
distinguish  with  accuracy  between  them  ;  and  always  afforded 
an  excuse  to  the  unprincipled,  to  rob  the  American  merchant- 
vessel  of  such  numbers  and  description  of  seamen  as  suited 
his  convenience. 

The  manner  in  which  these  orders  were  executed  was  such 
as  to  excite  the  greatest  animosity.  The  vessel  was  stopped 
in  her  course  on  the  high  seas,  boarded  by  an  inferior  officer 
with  a  competent  number  of  attendants ;  the  crew  mustered 
and  compared  with  the  roll,  and  such  numbers  taken,  and  de- 
clared to  be  British  seamen,  as  the  boarding  officer  thought 
proper  to  select ;  these  were  impressed  into  the  British  ser- 
vice without  a  hearing,  or  any  possibility  of  redress.  Any 
protections  or  other  evidence  of  American  citizenship  were 
disregarded.  The  vessel  was  then  dismissed,  often  in  an  in- 
sulting manner,  and  left  to  pursue  her  course,  without  a  com- 
plement of  hands,  to  the  hazard,  and  often  to  the  utter  loss,  of 
the  voyage.  By  these  practices  some  thousands  of  native 
born  American  citizens  were  forced  into  the  British  navy. 

American  Principles,  Principles  so  contrary  to  neutral 
rights,  followed  by  practices  so  injurious  to  American  com- 
merce, and  so  humiliating  to  the  country,  were  not  to  be  en- 
sured. The  United  States  maintained  that  the  flag  of  a 
nation  protected  all  that  sailed  under  it ;  that  seamen,  from 
whatever  country  they  came,  who  had  placed  themselves 
under  the  protection  of  the  American  government,  and  had 
become  naturalized  agreeably  to  the  provisions  of  law,  and 
were  in  the  lawful  pursuit  of  their  business  on  board  American 
ships,  which  were  considered  a  part  of  the  national  domain, 
were  entitled  to  the  same  protection  with  their  native  born 
citizens.  Having  left  their  country  with  the  consent  of  its 
government,  and  connected  themselves  with  a  foreign  state, 
they  became  a  part  of  the  nation  they  had  adopted,  and  could 
not  be  forcibly  taken,  either  on  land  or  on  the  ocean,  the 
(  ommon  highway  of  nations,  and  compelled  into  the  British 


iai4.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  4*7 

service.  Great  Britain  herself  had  fully  recognised  this  prin- 
ciple, by  providing  in  her  laws  for  the  naturalization  of  for- 
eigne.  s,  and  enacting  that  foreign  seamen  serving  a  short 
period  on  board  her  vessels,  or  marrying  in  England,  become 
naturahzed  and  entitled  to  the  same  privileges  and  protection 
as  her  natural  born  subjects.  J 

But  waiving  the  question  of  unalienable  natural  allegiance 
every  government  is  bound  so  to  use  and  enjoy  its  own  rights 
as  not  to  injure  and  destroy  the  rights  of  others.  That  for 
one  government  to  seek  and  forcibly  seize  its  subjects  while 
under  the  special  protection,  or  within  the  dominions  of  an- 
other, was  a  prostration  of  the  sovereignty  of  the  latter.  No 
process  of  national  law  could  be  found  which  would  authorize 
the  crews  of  British  ships  to  invade  the  territory,  or  board 
the  ships  of  another  sovereign  in  search  of  their  subjects, 
whom  they  had  voluntarily  suffered  to  leave  them.  Every 
Qircumstance  attending  the  arrest,  search,  and  impressment, 
was  degrading  ;  it  could  not  be  carried  into  effect  without  in- 
volving thousands  of  American  citizens,  to  whom  the  British 
government  could  have  no  pretensions,  in  undistinguished  ruin. 

In  all  their  remonstrances  to  the  British  government,  the 
United  States  offered  to  exclude  British  seamen  from  their 
service,  which  would  remove  any  pretence  of  necessity  for 
the  practice.  At  an  early  period  of  the  negotiations  upon 
this  subject.  Great  Britain  indeed  consented  to  rehnquish  the 
practice  on  what  she  termed  the  high  seas.  But  the  waters 
surrounding  the  British  Islands,  and  separating  them  from  the 
Continent,  from  Cape  Finisterre  on  the  south,  to  the  north- 
ernmost islands  of  Scotland,  they  denominated  the  narrow 
seas,  and  claimed  to  exercise  territorial  jurisdiction  on  them  ; 
whenever,  therefore,  American  vessels  came  within  those  seas, 
as  they  necessarily  must,  when  bound  to  the  Baltic,  to  Ham- 
burgh, Holland,  or  the  nothern  parts  of  France,  they  were 
on  this  principle  within    the  territorial  jurisdiction   of  the 

3 


il8  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Cnxv  U 

British  government,  and  subject  to  search  and  impressment.* 
A, doctrine  so  subversive  of  national  rights,  and  at  the  same 
tim«  so  destitute  of  principle,  could  not  be  submitted  to  by 
any  independent  power.  The  peace  of  Amiens  afforded  a 
short  suspension  of  aggressions  upon  neutral  rights,  but  with 
the  renewal  of  the  war  those  aggressions  were  renewed  with 
increased  violence.  By  a  British  order  in  council  of  June 
1803,  the  principle  was  claimed,  that  a  neutral  vessel  on  her 
return  was  liable  to  capture  and  condemnation,  from  the 
circumstance  that  in  her  outward  voyage  she  had  conveyed 
contraband  goods  to  an  enemy's  port.t 

Blockade  of  1806.  By  a  British  ploclamation  of  the  10th 
of  May,  1806,  the  whole  sea-coast  bordering  on  the  Enghsh 
Channel,  from  the  port  of  Brest  to  the  mouth  of  the  Elbe,  both 
inclusive,  embracing  a  distance  of  six  hundred  miles,  was 
declared  to  be  in  a  state  of  blockade,  and  neutral  vessels  pro- 
hibited entering  any  of  the  ports  on  that  coast.  It  was  not 
pretended  that  there  was  a  sufficient  naval  force  before  each 
of  these  ports  to  invest  it,  but  it  was  claimed  that  such  was 
the  number  and  situation  of  the  British  ships  of  war  in  and 
near  the  channel,  that  no  vessel  could  enter  those  ports  with 
safety,  and  on  that  ground  they  might  lawfully  be  prohibited. 
A  proclamation  of  blockade  notified  to  the  ministers  of  neutral 
powers  was  deemed  sufficient  notice  to  their  vessels,  of  the 
existence  of  such  blockade :  and  ships  cleared  out  for  ports 
prohibited  under  the  proclamation  were  deemed  lawful  prize, 
on  any  jjart  of  the  ocean.  The  principle  of  public  law  by 
which  neutrals  are  excluded  from  belligerent  ports,  originally 
extended  only  to  places  actually  besieged,  where  their  admis- 
sion would  prolong  the  siege  or  prevent  a  capture  ;  and  it 
was  not  until  after  England  had  gained  a  naval  ascendancy, 
that  it  was  ever  admitted  to  extend  to  places  where  the  object 


*  Mr.  King's  Letter  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  July  1803. 
I  Order  in  Council  of  the  24th  June  1803. 


«824.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  49i 

of  the  blockade  was  not  their  reduction.  But  in  all  cases  the 
neutral  attempting  to  enter  is  to  be  first  warned  to  depart,  and 
liable  to  capture  and  condemnation  only  on  a  second  attempt.* 

Orders  in  Council.  By  an  order  of  council  of  the  7th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1807,  no  neutral  vessel  was  allowed  to  trade  from  one 
port  to  another  of  France  or  her  allies,  or  which  was  in  pos- 
session of  her  armies,  or  of  any  countries  from  which  British 
vessels  were  excluded.  This  order  was  not  claimed  to  be 
founded  upon  any  principles  of  national  law,  but  in  retaliation 
for  French  decrees,  which  the  same  order  declares  to  be  mere 
empty  threats  without  the   possibility  of  being  executed. 

The  orders  in  council  of  the  11th  of  November,  super- 
seded all  former  ones,  and  put  an  end  to  neutral  trade. 
They  declared  all  the  ports  and  places  of  France,  her  allies,  or 
any  other  country  at  war  with  England,  or  from  which  the 
British  flag  was  excluded,  and  all  their  colonies  to  be  in  a 
state  of  blockade,  and  all  commerce,  in  articles  the  produce 
or  manufacture  of  such  countries,  to  be  unlawful.  As  a  mat- 
ter of  professed  favour  to  neutrals,  they  were  allowed  to  bring 
their  cargoes  to  England,  pay  the  British  duties,  and  proceed 
to  the  Continent,  where,  for  this  very  reason,  they  would  be 
subject  to  condemnation.! 

Milan  Decree.  This  was  followed  by  the  French  Milan 
decree,  of  the  1 7th  of  December,  which  declared  all  vessels 
bound  to  or  sailing  from  England,  or  which  had  submitted  to 
Enghsh  search,  to  be  subject  to  capture  and  condemnation. 

Both  nations,  in  their  treatment  of  neutrals,  equally  disre- 
garded their  rights;  and  adopted  principles  unknown  to  the 
law  of  nations,  and  subversive  of  the  plainest  maxims  of 
justice.  Each  claimed  the  right  of  destroying  the  commerce 
of  the  other,  by  prohibiting  the  trade  of  neutrals  with  their 
opponent.     The  doctrine  of  retaliation,  which  in  certain  cases 


*  Vattel  508. 

f  British  order  in  council,  November  1807. 


^0  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR  Ch4>.  1; 

and  to  a  limited  extent,  admits  ^one  belligerent,  who  has  re- 
ceived  an  injury  from  his  antagonist,  to  inflict  the  same  on 
him  in  return,  was  drawn  into  view  to  justify  the  practice  of 
inflicting  on  an  innocent  neutral,  an  injury  of  the  same  char- 
acter which  the  neutral  had  received  from  the  opposing  belli- 
gerent. These  principles,carried  into  operation  with  the  most 
rigorous  energy,  swept  from  the  ocean  the  commerce  of  the 
United  States  ;  and  nothing  but  an  utter  inability  to  resist  them 
with  efl^cct  could  justify  even  a  temporary  forbearance. 

Berlin  Decree,     The  French  government,  after   the   de- 
struction of  their  marine,  and  the  absolute  naval  ascendancy  of 
Grea^  Britain,  became  the  champions  of  the  freedom  of  the 
seas.     Dependent  on  neutrals  for   the  little  commerce  they 
enjoyed,  they  were  desirous  of  extending  the  immunities  of 
the  neutral  flag,  and  proclaimed  the  principles  of  national  law 
to  be,  that  maritime  war  could  not  be  lawfully  extended  to 
any  private  property,  nor  to  persons  who  are  not  military : — 
that  the  right  of  blockade  should  be  restrained  to  fortified 
places  actually  invested  by  a  competent  military  force  :  that 
free  ships  should  make  free  goods,  and  the  flag  protect  the 
merchandise  conveyed  under  it ;  and  that  a  ship  was  a  part  of 
the   domain  of  the  nation   whose  flag  she  bore,  and   could 
ftot  be  approached  by  a  belligerent  but  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  enemy-soldiers  in  arms,  and  goods  contraband  of  war. 
The  adoption  of  these  principles,  it  was  obvious,  would  render 
the   British  marine  in  a  great  measure  useless ;  and   would 
be  the  last  point  that  Great  Britain  would   be  expected  to 
give  up;  neutrals,   however,  were    required    to   resist  any 
encroachments   upon   them  at   all  hazards;  otherwise  they 
would  consider  the  neutral  as  forfeiting  his  character,  his  ships 
as  denationalized,  and  liable  to  capture  and  condemnation. 
The  promulgation  of  this  doctrine  was  followed  by  a  series 
of  disastrous  pillage  on  American  commerce,  for  which  the 
only  reason  assigned   was  that  the  United  States  did  not  resist 
British  aggressions  by  immediate  war.     The  French   consid*- 


4812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  21 

ered  American  property  on  the  ocean  as  free  plunder,  and 
captured,  burnt,  and  destroyed  it  at  their  pleasure.  The 
first  public  edict  upon  the  subject,  was  the  Berlin  decree  of 
November  1806,  which,  after  recounting  the  various  aggres- 
sions of  the  British  upon  neutral  commercial  rights,  declares 
the  British  Islands  to  be  in  a  state  of  blockade,  and  prohibits 
all  commerce  and  correspondence  with  them ;  and  further 
declares  all  merchandise  coming  from  English  manufactories 
or  from  English  colonies  to  be  lawful  prize  ;  and  that  no 
vessel  coming  from  England,  or  her  colonies,  or  having  been 
there  since  the  publication  of  the  decrees,  should  be  received 
into  French  ports. 

Conduct  of  British  Ships  in  American  Waters.  To  give 
efficacy  to  their  orders  in  council,  the  British  kept  constantly 
liovering  on  the  coast,  and  in  the  American  waters,  a 
large  naval  force.  This  was  a  constant  source  of  vexation  : 
scarcely  a  vessel  could  go  in  or  out  of  a  port  without  being 
arrested  and  searched  by  a  British  cruiser,  and  often  on  the-  ^yt/^) 
most  frivolous  pretexts  sent  to  England  for  condemnation.      "^   ^rf 

Conduct  of  the  British  Prize  Courts.  The  British  prize 
courts,  though  under  the  Presidency  of  Sir  William  Scott,  a 
V€ry  able  jurist,  had  moulded  their  doctrines  and  decisions  in 
conformity  to  the  views  of  government ;  had  given  to  the  pro- 
clamations of  the  Prince  Regent,  and  the  orders  in  council,  the 
power  of  abrogating  the  law  of  nations;  and  under  the  head  of 
supporting  what  were  claimed  to  be  British  maritime  rights, 
had  extinguished  the  just  rights  and  privileges  of  all  other 
nations. 

On  the  25th  of  April,  1806,  the  British  ship  Leander,  Cap- 
tain Whitby,  in  company  with  two  other  ships  of  war,  off  San- 
dy-Hook, fired  upon  the  sloop  Richard,  a  coasting  vessel 
from  Brandywine,  coming  into  New- York,  and  killed  John 
Pierce,  the  man  at  the  helm.  The  sloop  then  pursued  her 
course  to  the  city,  where  the  body  was  landed;  a  jury  of 
inquest  held,  and  a  verdict  of  wilful  murder  returned  against 


'22  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  1. 

Captain  Whitby.  The  corpse  was  interred  under  direction  of 
the  city  authorities  with  every  mark  of  respect.  The  excite- 
ment which  this  outrage  occasioned  throughout  the  country  was 
extreme.  The  President  issued  a  proclamation  ordering 
Whitby  to  be  arrested  for  trial  if  ever  found  in  any  part  of  the 
United  States,  and  prohibiting  all  intercourse  with  the  Lean- 
der,  and  the  ships  in  company  with  her. 

Capture  of  the  Chesapeake,  On  the  22d  of  June,  1807,  the 
American  frigate  Chesapeake,  Commodore  Barron,  of  thirty- 
six  guns,  sailed  from  Hampton  Roads,  on  a  cruise  to  the  Med- 
iterranean. In  proceeding  to  sea,  she  passed  a  British  squadron 
at  anchor  in  Lynnhaven  bay ;  soon  after,  the  British  ship  of 
war  Leopard,  of  fifty  guns,  followed  her  ;  at  three  leagues  dis- 
tance from  Cape  Henry,  the  Leopard  came  up  with  the  Ches- 
apeake, sent  an  officer  on  board,  and  demanded  the  surrender 
of  a  number  of  her  crew,  whom  he  claimed  to  be  deserters 
from  the  British  squadron,  and  showed  an  order  from  Admiral 
Berkeley,  directing  them  to  be  taken  by  force  in  case  of  refu- 
sal. Commodore  Barron  replied  that  he  had  given  his  re- 
•cruiting  officers  orders  to  enlist  no  British  deserters ;  that  he 
knew  of  no  such  on  board  ;  and  that  he  should  not  suffer  his 
crew  to  be  mustered  by  any  but  his  own  officers.  On  re- 
ceiving this  reply,  the  Leopard  commenced  a  heavy  fire  on 
the  Chesapeake ;  Commodore  Barron  being  wholly  unpre- 
pared for  action,  sustained  the  fire  about  thirty  minutes,  and 
surrendered  his  ship.  The  Captain  of  the  Leopard  sent  an 
officer  on  board,  mustered  the  crew,  took  from  them  four 
persons  whom  he  claimed  to  be  British  deserters,  aqd  returned 
to  Lynnhaven  bay.  Three  of  them  were  afterwards  proved 
to  be  impressed  native  American  seamen  ;  the  fourth  was 
tried  and  executed  as  a  British  deserter.  The  Chesapeake 
had  three  men  killed  and  eighteen  wounded,  and  was  so  dam- 
aged in  her  hull  and  rigging  as  to  be  wholly  unable  to  proceed 
on  her  voyage.  The  conduct  of  Commodore  Barron  was 
investigated  by  a  naval  tribunal,  who  censured  him  for  not 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  23 

preparing  his  ship  for  action  and  returning  the  Leopard's  fire, 
and  ordered  him  suspended  for  a  year.  In  consequence  of 
this  outrage,  which  appeared  to  be  the  consummation  of  acts 
of  violence  committed  by  the  British  on  American  ships,  the 
President  issued  a  proclamation  forbidding  all  British  armed 
vessels  from  entering  the  waters  of  the  United  Stales,  and 
prohibiting  all  intercourse  with  them.  The  attack  on  the 
Chesapeake  was  afterwards  disavowed  by  the  British  gov- 
ernment, the  two  surviving  men  restored,  and  provision  made 
for  the  families  of  the  slain ;  this  satisfaction  was  accepted  by 
the  American  government. 

Monroe  and  Pinckney^s  Treaty,  In  March  1 806,  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Pinckney,  of  Maryland,  was  appointed  envoy  extraordi- 
nary to  the  British  court,  and  in  conjunction  with  Mr.  Mon- 
roe, the  resident  minister,  directed  to  seek  redress  for  past 
injuries,  and  obtain  stipulations  against  the  violation  of  neu- 
tral rights  in  future.  On  the  subject  of  impressment,  they  were 
instructed  to  make  it  a  preliminary,  and  without  a  satisfactory 
arrangement  of  that  point,  to  conclude  no  treaty.*  Mr. 
Pinckney  left  the  United  States  in  May,  and  immediately  on 
his  arrival,  entered  with  Mr.  Monroe  on  the  business  of  his 
mission.  On  the  subject  of  impressment,  they  found  the  Brit- 
ish government  entirely  inexora  ble.  The  American  ministers 
then  informed  the  British  that  their  instructions  forbade  their 
concluding  any  treaty  in  which  that  subject  was  not  arranged, 
and  of  course  their  acts  would  not  be  obligatory  upon  their 
government.  They  proceeded  however  to  the  discussion  of 
the  other  topics  with  the  British  ministry,  and  on  the  31st  of 
December  concluded  a  treaty  which  contained  no  stipulation 
on  the  subject  of  impressment,  no  agreement  for  satisfaction 
for  past  injuries,  and  which  impliedly,  recognised  the  right 
of  the  British  to  interdict  the  neutral  direct  colonial    trade,  t 


*  Instructions  of  May  17th,  1806. 

t  Monroe  and  Pinckney's  treaty,  December  3Ist,  1806. 


-^  '  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Citap.  I. 

Accompanying  the  treaty,  was  a  note  from  the  British  commis- 
sioners, declaring,  that  unless  France  repealed  her  edicts 
against  neutral  commerce  with  Great  Britain,  or  America 
effectually  resisted  them,  the  treaty  should  not  be  obligatory 
upon  the  British  government.*  On  receiving  this  treaty 
under  these  circumstances,  the  President  rejected  it  without 
submitting  it  to  the  Senate.  The  envoys  were  instructed  to 
renew  the  negotiations,  and  endeavour  to  obtain  better  terms. 
In  attempting  to  do  this,  they  were  informed  by  the  British 
ministry  that  further  negotiations  would  be  useless. 

"Embargo.  At  this  crisis  the  President  convened  Congress 
on  the  26th  of  October,  1807.  It  had  become  a  subject  deep- 
ly interesting  to  every  portion  of  the  community,  what  course 
the  United  States  ought  to  pursue.  That  both  belligerents 
had  violated  the  most  essential  and  important  neutral  rights 
of  the  United  States,  admitted  of  no  doubt.  These  rights 
were  essential  to  the  prosperity  of  the  nation,  and  as  much 
the  duty  of  the  government  to  protect  as  their  territory. 
The  American  government  had  been  suing  at  the  courts  of 
the  beUigerents,  for  more  than  twelve  years,  for  liberty  of 
enjoying  some  of  the  privileges  accorded  to  neutrals  by  the 
laws  of  nations,  and  had  sued  in  vain,  and  were  at  length  told 
that  further  suits  would  be  useless.  The  principle  assumed 
by  both  beUigerents  was  the  same,  viz.  to  violate  any  neu- 
tral right,  when  they  could  prejudice  their  enemy  thereby. 
There  was  this  practical  difference  between  them.  The  Brit- 
ish were  able  to  carry  their  edicts  into  execution  with  a  most 
destructive  energy  ;  the  French<decrees,  from  the  weakness  of 
their  marine,  were  in  a  great  measure  empty  threats. 

A  large  portion  of  the  commercial  part  of  the  community, 
were  in  favour  of  permitting  American  vessels  to  arm  in  their 
own  defence,  and  to  leave  it  to  the  discretion  of  the  merchant 
to  pursue  such  commercial  adventures  as  his  judgment  should 


^  British  note  accompanying  frealy,  31st  of  December* 


U12.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  3f 

direct.  This  was  considered  by  the  government  as  com- 
promitting  their  honour,  and  affording  fresh  opportunities  for 
continued  insults.  On  the  18th  of  December  the  President 
recommended,  and  Congress  afterwards  adopted,  an  embargo, 
universal  in  extent,  and  unlimited  in  duration.  Two  objects 
Were  proposed  by  this  measure:  one,  to  induce  the  belligerents, 
from  the  inconveniences  resulting  to  them  from  the  depriva-  ^ 
tion  of  the  American  trade,  to  relax  their  hostility  to  neutral 
©ommerce.;  the  other  to  preserve  the  resources  of  the  count 
fry  withih  itself.  To  give  complete  effect  to  the  measure,  it 
feecame  necessary  to  lay  the  coasting  trade  under  the  most 
inconvenient  and  burthensome  restrictions,  and  to  prohibit  all 
land  intercourse  between  the  United  States,  and  the  neigh-i .. 
boaring  British  colonies.  ^ — r^ 

The  experiment  of  compelling  one  nation  to  accede  to 
the  claims  of  another,  by  withholding  "  intercourse  from  all, 
had  never  before  been  made.  The  object  was  important, 
the  attempt  new,"  and  could  it  have  been  successful,  would 
have  introduced  a  new  and  an  important  era  in  political  science. 
It  must  have  taken  the  place  of  wars  in  a  great  measure,  aB 
being  a  much  more  safe,  easy,  and  cheap  mod&  of  enforcing  a 
demand.  The  progress  of  improvement  in  international  poli- 
tics, had  not  hitherto  kept  pace  with  that  of  the  arts,  but  this 
would  have  placed  it  in  advance  ;  and  it  was  considered  well 
worth  almost  any  sacrifice  to  establish  the  principle,  that  the 
United  States,  by  withholding  their  intercourse,,  could  so 
operate  upon  the  wants  of  other  nations,  as  to  induce  them 
to  accede  to  their  claims.  But  unfortunately  for  the  success 
of  this  experiment,  the  French  government,  viewing  it  as  a 
very  timely  aid  to  their  continental  system,  and  as  much  more 
injurious  to  their  enemy  than  to  themselves,  highly  applauded 
the  measure.  The  British,  at  this  time  trading  with  all  the  world 
except  France  and  its  dependencies,  found  themselves  in  a 
situation  to  endure  a  deprivation  of  American  commerce 
much  longer  than,  in  their  opinion,  the  Am^icans  would   be 

4 


26  fflSTORY  Oi^  THE  LATE  WAtl.  Chap.  1. 

able  to  endure  a  universal  suspension  of  theirs.  The  British 
national  character,  and  honour  too  in  their  apprehension,  was 
at  stake,  and  forbade  their  yielding  the  point.  To  an  offer 
made  the  British  government  to  repeal  the  embargo  as  to 
them,  and  continue  it  as  to  France,  in  case  she  would  revoke 
her  orders  in  council,  they  gave  a  decided  negative,  remark- 
ing that  "  his  majesty  would  not  hesitate  to  contribute  in 
any  manner  in  his  power  to  restore  to  the  commerce  of  the 
United  States  its  wonted  activity;  and  if  it  were  possible  to 
make  any  sacrifice  for  the  repeal  of  the  embargo,  without 
appearing  to  deprecate  it  as  a  measure  of  hostility,  he  would 
gladly  have  facilitated  its  removal,  as  a  measure  of  inconve- 
nient restriction  upon  the  American  people."* 

By  the  suspension  of  foreign  commerce,  a  large  portion  of 
the  community,  whose  employment  and  subsistence  depended 
upon  business  connected  with  navigation,  were  instantly  thrown 
put  of  employment  and  reduced  to  distress.  The  productions 
of  agriculture  were  perishing  on  the  hands  of  the  planters ; 
the  ships  of  the  merchant  rotting  at  the  wharves,  and  the  sea- 
men dispersing  themselves  through  the  country  seeking  em- 
ployment and  subsistence.  These  inconveniencies,  how- 
ever, were  in  some  measurec  ounterbalancedbythe  estabhsh- 
ment  of  various  important  branches  of  manufactures. 

Erskineh  Arrangement,  In  January  1 809,  the  British  cabi- 
net transmitted  instructions  to  their  minister  at  Washington, 
Mr.  Erskine,  to  offer  the  American  government,  that,  in  case 
they  would  repeal  all  their  restrictive  acts  against  Great  Bri- 
tain, and  leave  them  in  force  against  France,  renounce  all 
claim  to  the  colonial  trade,  submit  to  the  rule  of  the  war  of 
1756,  and  agree  that  the  British  cruisers  might  capture  all 
American  vessels  attempting  to  trade  with  France  contrary 
to  the  provisions  of  those  laws,  the  British  government  would 
consent  to  withdraw  their  orders  in  council,  so  far  as  it  re- 


Canning's  Letter  to  Pincknoy,  Sept  25,1808. 


1812,  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  2t 

spected  America.  On  these  propositions  being  made  to  the 
American  government,  they  were  at  once  rejected.  The 
British  minister,  misapprehending  his  instructions,  then  pro- 
ceeded to  agree  to  the  terms  proposed  by  the  Secretary  of 
State:  That  upon  the  orders  in  council  being  removed,  the 
President  would  issue  a  proclamation  restoring  intercourse 
with  Great  Britain,  and  leaving  the  restrictive  laws  in  force 
against  France.  This  arrangement  being  made,  the  orders 
in  council  were  declared  to  be  revoked  after  the  10th  June, 
1809,*  and  the  President,  by  proclamation,  declared  the  ac- 
customed intercourse  between  the  United  States  and  Great 
Britain  to  be  renewed  after  that  period. 

The  British  government  disavowed  this  arrangement,  and 
declared  that  their  minister  had  exceeded  his  instructions, 
and  that  their  orders  in  council  were  still  in  force.  Mr.  Ers- 
kine  was  immediately  recalled,  and  his  place  supplied  by  Mr. 
Jackson,  late  minister  at  Copenhagen. 

JackiOTi's  Mission.  This  minister  seems  to  have  entered 
on  his  mission  deeply  impressed  with  ideas  of  the  importance 
of  the  power  that  sent  him,  and  of  the  inferiority  of  the  power 
to  which  he  was  sent,  and  disposed  to  treat  the  government  of 
the  United  States  with  the  same  insolence  that  had  been 
practised  towards  the  Danish  government  and  other  minor 
European  powers.  To  an  intimation  from  the  Secretary  of 
State,  that  upon  the  important  topics  which  were  the  subject 
of  discussion  between  them,  it  was  desirable  that  their  com- 
munications should  be  in  writing,  as  less  liable  to  error  and 
misapprehension,  he  replied,  that  he  believed  that  there  does 
not  exist  in  the  annals  of  diplomacy,  a  precedent  for  such  a 
determination,  and  after  entering  his  protest,  complied  w  ith  the 
intimation.  On  being  called  upon  to  explain  the  reasons  why 
his  government  disavowed  the  proceedings  of  his  predeces- 
sor, he  stated  that  the  American  government  knew  that  he  ex- 

*  Er«kiiie*8  Arrangement  of  19th  April,  1809. 


iJt  HISTORY  OP  THR  LATE  WAR*  Chap.  1. 

ceeded  his  instructions,  and  of  course  had  no  reason  to  expect 
the  arrangement  would  be  approved.  On  being  told  that  the 
American  government  had  no  such  knowledge,  he  repeated 
the  assertion.  He  was  informed  that  it  was  highly  indecorous 
directly  to  contradict  the  solemn  declarations  of  the  govern* 
ment.  He  afterwards  repeated  the  assertion,  and  was  then 
informed,  that  for  the  purpose  of  avoiding  future  insults,  no 
further  communication  would  be  received  from  him.*  On  the 
disavowal  of  Mr.  Erskine's  arrangement  by  the  British  gov- 
ernment, the  President's  proclamation  was  revoked,  and 
the  relation  between  the  two  countries  restored  to  its  former 
footing.  On  a  representation  by  Mr.  Pinckney  to  the  British 
government,  of  the  conduct  of  Mr,  Jackson,  he  was  recalled ; 
and  after  a  delay  of  a  year  and  a  half,  his  place  supplied  by 
Mr.  Foster. 

After  an  experiment  of  fifteen  months,  the  government  and 
people  of  the  United  States  became  fully  satisfied  that  an 
American  embargo  was  a  very  feeble  and  inefficient  weapon 
against  foreign  aggression.  It  was  therefore  determined  to 
abandon  it,  and  substitute  a  system  of  non-intercourse  and  non- 
importation against  both  belligerents. 

J^on-Importation and. Non-Intercourse  Laws,  In  March  1 809, 
Congress  raised  the  embargo  as  to  all  other  nations,  except 
Great  Britain,  France,  and  their  dependencies,  and  substituted 
a  system  of  non-intercourse  and  non-importation  as  to  them, 
which  prohibited  all  voyages  to  the  British  or  French  domin- 
ions, and  all  trade  in  articles  of  British  or  French  product  or 
manufacture ;  at  the  same  time  authorizing  the  President,  in 
case  either  power  should  so  revoke  or  modify  their  edicts,  as 
that  they  should  cease  to  violate  the  neutral  commerce  of  the 
United  States,  to  declare  the  same  by  proclamation,  after 
which  trade  might  be  renewed  with  the  nation  so  doing.  On 
the  1st  of  May,  1810,  the  non-intercourse  and  non-importation 


Sccretaiy  of  State  to  Mr.  Jackson,  Nov.  8di,  1809. 


ISi«^.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  ^9 

laws  were  repealed,  and  an  act  passed  excluding  both  British 
and  French  armed  vessels  from  the  waters  of  the  United 
States  ;  and  further  providing,  that,  in  case  either  Great  Bri- 
tain or  France  should  so  revoke  or  modify  their  edicts  before 
the^Sd  of  March,  181 1,  as  that  they  should  cease  to  violate  the 
neutral  commerce  of  the  United  States,  and  if  the  other  na- 
tion should  not  within  three  months  thereafter,  in  like  manner 
revoke  or  modify  their  edicts,  the  provisions  of  the  non-inter- 
course and  non-importation  laws  should,  at  the  expiration  of 
the  said  three  months,  be  revived  against  the  nation  neglecting 
or  refusing  so  to  modify  their  edicts.* 

Champagny^s  Letter  to  Armstrong  announcing  the  Repeal  of 
the  French  Decrees,  On  the  communication  of  this  act  to  the 
French  government,  their  Secretary  of  foreign  affairs,  on  the 
5th  of  August  1810,  addressed  a  note  to  Mr.  Armstrong,  the 
American  minister,  declaring  "that  the  decrees  of  Berlin  and 
Milan  are  revoked,  and  that  after  the  first  day  of  the  following 
November,  they  will  cease  to  have  effect ;  it  being  understood, 
that  in  consequence  of  this  declaration,  the  English  shall  re- 
voke their  orders  in  council,  and  renounce  the  new  principles 
of  blockade  which  they  have  wished  to  establish,  or  that  the 
United  States,  conformably  to  their  law,  will  cause  their  rights 
to  be  respected  by  the  English."! 

The  President  considered  this  as  a  compliance  on  the  pan 
of  France,  with  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  the  1st  of  May, 
and  on  the  2d  of  November,  issued  a  proclamation,  declaring 
that  the  edicts  of  France,  violating  the  neutral  commerce  of 
the  United  States,  were  so  revoked,  as  to  cease  to  have  effect 
on  the  1st  of  November,  and  that  from  that  period,  all  re- 
strictions should  be  discontinued  in  relation  to  France  and 
her  dependencies.  J 


*  Act  of  May  1st,  1810. 

t  Champagny's  Letter  of  the  5th  of  August  1810. 

t  President's  Proclamation  of  the  2d  of  November. 


3d  HISTORY  OF  TH£  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  i. 

On  the  same  day,  a  circular  was  addressed  from  the  treas- 
lyy  department,  to  the  collectors  of  the  customs,  directing 
them  to  admit  French  armed  vessels  into  the  ports  and  waters 
of  the  United  States  ;  and  to  apply,  after  the  2d  of  February, 
1811,  to  Enghsh  vessels  of  every  description,  and  to  the 
productions  and  manufactures  of  England,  the  provisions  of 
the  non-intercourse  and  non-importation  laws,  unless  prior  to 
that  period  the  revocation  of  the  orders  in  council  should  be 
announced  by  the  President. 

On  the  25th  of  December,  the  French  minister  of  justice 
gave  directions  to  the  council  of  prizes,  that  all  proceed- 
ings against  American  vessels,  captured  after  the  1st  of  No- 
vember, should  be  suspended  until  the  2d  of  February,  and 
in  case  the  restrictive  system  was  then  revived,  and  carried 
into  effect  by  the  United  States,  against  Great  Britain;  that 
the  captures  should  be  declared  null,  and  the  vessels  and  car- 
goes restored. 

On  the  same  day,  the  minister  of  finance  gave  orders  t© 
the  director  general  of  the  customs,  that  the  Berlin  and  Milan 
decrees  were  not  to  be  applied  to  American  vessels  entering 
the  ports  of  France,  after  the  1st  of  the  preceding  Novem- 
ber. 

These  proceedings  were  pressed  upon  the  British  govern- 
ment, as  evidence  of  the  repeal  of  the  French  decrees,  and  a 
revocation  of  their  orders  in  council  was  claimed,  they  having 
been  always  professed  to  be  founded  upon  those  decrees., 
and  assurances  having  been  given,  that  they  should  be  of  no 
longer  duration.  These  applications,  reiterated  and  enforced 
with  great  zeal  and  abihty  by  Mr.  Pinckney,  were  unavail- 
ing, notwithstanding  the  French  minister  of  foreign  relations 
had  declared  to  the  American  ambassador,  that  the  obnox- 
ious decrees  were  repealed ;  and  orders  had  been  given  in 
pursuance  thereof  to  the  prize  courts,  and  directors  of  the 
customs,  to  govern  themselves  accordingly  in  their  treatment 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  31 

of  American  navigation.  The  British  ministry  affected  to  consid- 
er these  proceedings  of  the  French  government,  as  unofficial 
and  deceptive.  Their  orders  in  council  remained  in  force,  and 
the  restrictive  system  was  revived  against  them  in  February 
1811,  according  to  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  May  1810. 


CHAPTER  II. 

First  Meeting-  of  Twelfth  Congress. — Message. — Correspondence  be- 
tween Monroe  and  Foster. — Decisions  of  the  Admiralty  Courts  in  the 
Case  of  the  Fox,  and  others. — Report  of  the  Committee  of  Foreign 
Relations. — ^Argiiments  of  the  Minority  against  the  Report. — Joha 
Henry's  Papers. — His  Instructions. — His  Correspondence. — Inquiry 
respecting  Him  in  the  House  of  Representatives. — Message  of  tlie 
Ist  of  June. — Report  of  Committee  of  Foreign  Relations,  recommend- 
ing War. — Declaration  of  War. — Address  of  the  Minority  to  their 
Constituents.— Army  and  Navy  Bills. — Treasury  Estimates. — Plan 
of  Finance  for  the  War. — Loan  for  1812. 

Meeting  of  Congress.  The  1st  session  of  the  12th  Con- 
gress commenced,  by  a  special  call  from  the  President,  on 
the  4th  of  November,  1811.  Having  been  recently  elected, 
the  members  assembled,  possessed  of  a  full  knowledge  of  the 
feelings  and  views  of  their  constituents. 

Message,  In  his  message,  at  the  opening  of  the  session, 
the  President  informed  them,  that  the  successive  confirmations 
of  the  repeal  of  the  French  decrees,  so  far  as  they  violated 
the  neutral  commerce  of  the  United  States,  had  not  induced 
the  government  of  Great  Britain  to  revoke  her  orders  in 
council ;  that  they  continued  to  be  executed  with  increased 
rigour  ;  that  Great  Britain  now  further  claimed,  as  an  indis- 
pensable condition  of  the  repeal  of  those  orders,  that  com- 
merce should  be  restored  to  a  footing  that  would  admit 
British  manufactures,  when  carried  by  neutrals  into  markets 
shut  against  them  by  their  enemy ;  that  the  British  ministry 
claimed  the  repeal  of  the  non-intercourse-laws,  and  had 
declared  that  their  continuance  against  Great  Britain,  after 
they  were  repealed  as  to  France,  would  lead  to  measures  of 
retaliation;    that  all    indemnity  for  past  injuries  had  been 

5 


34  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Crap.  2 

withheld;  that  the  coasts  and  harbours  of  the  United  States 
bad  witnessed  Scenes  derogatory  to  national  rights,  and  vex- 
atious to  the  regular  course  of  trade ;  and  that  France  had 
indeed  repealed  her  obnoxious  decrees,  but  had  refused  to 
redress  the  other  wrongs  done  to  the  United  States,  and  to 
restore  a  great  amount  of  American  property,  taken  and  con- 
demned under  the  most  unjustifiable  edicts. 

Under  these  circumstances,  the  President  stated,  that  the 
executive  had  exerted  the  means  with  which  it  was  intrusted, 
for  the  general  safety.  The  works  of  defence,  on  the  mari- 
time frontier,  had  been  prosecuted  with  activity,  and  the  most 
important  ones  nearly  completed.  The  ships  of  war  had  been 
employed  as  a  cruising  guard  on  the  coast,  and  such  a  dispo- 
sition of  the  land  forces  made,  as  would  render  their  services 
the  most  important:  that  a  considerable  body  of  regulars  and 
militia  had  been  assembled  in  the  Indiana  Territory,  and 
marched  toward  the  north-western  frontier. 

The  President  recommended  to  Congress,  to  make  pro- 
vision for  prolonging  the  enlistments,  and  filling  the  ranks  of 
the  regular  army;  to  raise  an  auxiliary  force  for  a  limited 
time,  and  to  accept  the  services  of  volunteer  corps:  and  that 
such  provision  be  made  on  the  subject  of  the  naval  force  as 
should  be  necessary  to  prepare  it  for  active  service.  That  it 
be  prohibited  to  accept  licenses  from  foreign  governments, 
for  a  trade  unlawfully  interdicted  by  them  to  other  American 
citizens ;  or  to  ti-ade  under  false  colours,  or  papers  of  any 
description :  that  vessels  from  foreign  countries  be  prohibited 
from  admission  into  particular  ports,  which  were  authorized 
to  trade  with  those  ports  only. 

In  making  the  estimates  for  the  ensuing  year.  Congress 
were  reminded  that  the  probable  decrease  of  revenue  arising 
from  the  suspension  of  commerce,  and  the  extraordinary 
expenses  which  had  already  and  might  in  future  become 
necessary,  must  be  taken  into  view;  and  that  a  sufficiency  of 
revenue  should  be  p-ovided,  to  defray  the  ordinary  expenses 


IZI%  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  ^$ 

of  government,  and  pay  the  interest  on  the  public  debt, 
including  the  new  loans  that  may  be  authorized.  * 

Correspondence  between  the  American  and  British  Ministers. 
Accompanying  the  message  was  a  voluminous  correspond- 
ence between  the  American  secretary  of  state,  and  the  British 
minister.  The  correspondence  opened  by  a  letter  from  the 
latter  to  the  former,  of  the  3d  of  July,  181 1,  claiming  that  the 
blockade  of  May  1806  was  warranted  by  the  established 
law  of  nations,  because  it  was  intended  to  be,  and  in  fact 
was,  supported  by  an  adequate  naval  force,  appointed  to 
guard  the  whole  coast  described  in  the  notification.  That 
the  Berlin  decree  was  not  justified  by  any  of  the  pretexts  set 
up  by  France,  that  it  was  an  outrage  upon  all  neutral  rights, 
and  if  submitted  to  by  America,  would  justify  Great  Britain 
in  adopting  retaliatory  measures  in  her  own  defence.  That 
her  orders  in  council  were  predicated  upon  the  principle  of 
defensive  retaliation. 

That  the  blockade  of  1806  was  included  in  the  more 
extensive  orders  in  council ;  and  that  these  would  not  be  con- 
tinued beyond  the  effectual  repeal  of  the  French  decrees. 
That  the  communication  of  the  French  minister  to  General 
Armstrong,  of  the  5th  of  August,  1810,  was  not  such  a  repeal : 
that  the  Emperor,  in  a  speech  to  the  deputies,  from  the  free 
cities  of  Bremen,  Hamburgh,  and  Lubeck,  of  the  17th  of 
June,  had  declared  that  the  decrees  of  Berlin  and  Milan  should 
be  the  public  code  of  France,  as  long  as  England  should 
maintain  her  illegal  blockades :  that  captures  and  condemna- 
tions of  American  vessels  had  taken  place  under  the  opera- 
tion of  those  decrees,  since  they  were  said  to  have  been 
repealed.  He  complained  that  America  had  suffered  her 
trade  to  be  moulded  into  the  means  of  annoyance  to  Great 
Britain,  under  the  provisions  of  the  French  decrees;  that  she 
had  construed  those  decrees  to  have  become  extinct  upon  a 

*  President's  message,  November  5th,  1841. 


36  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAIL  Chap.  2. 

deceitful  declaration  of  the  French  cabinet,  and  had  unjustly, 
and  contrary  to  her  duties  as  a  neutral,  enforced  her  restric- 
tive measures  against  Great  Britain  alone. 

The  department  of  state  was  at  this  time  confided  to  Mr. 
Monroe,  a  statesman  of  distinguished  practical   talents,  per- 
fectly versed  in  the  relations  of  the  United  States  with  for- 
eign powers,  and  able  to  defend  the  system  which  had  been 
adopted  towards  them.     On  the  23d  of  July,  he  replied  "  that 
it  was  not  necessary  for  the  United  States  to  determine  the 
priority  of  aggression  in  order  to  show  that  Great  Britain 
was  in  the  wrong.     That  in  regard  to  the  blockades,  by  the 
known  and  acknowledged  law  of  nations,  ports  not  actu- 
ally invested,  by  a  present,  adequate,  stationary,  naval  force, 
employed  by  the  power  which  attacks  them,  should  not  be 
considered  as  shut  to  neutral  trade  in  articles  not  contraband 
of  war.     Though  it  is  usual  for  a  belligerent  to  give  notice  to 
neutrals,  when  he  intends  to  institute  a  blockade,  yet  he  may 
not  act  upon  his  intention  at  all,  or  he  may  discontinue  the 
blockade,  of  which'it  is  not  usual  to  give  notice  ;  consequently 
the  actual  presence  of  the  blockading  force  is   the  only  cri- 
terion by  which  the  neutral  is  enabled  to  ascertain  the  exis- 
tence of  the  blockade  at  any  given  period.    A  mere  notifica- 
tion therefore  to  a  neutral  minister,  cannot  be  considered  as 
aftecting  with  knowledge  of  the  actual  existence  of  a  block- 
ade, either  his  government,  or  its  citizens.     That  a  vessel 
cleared  or  bound  to  a  blockaded  port  should  not  be  consid- 
ered as  violating  the  blockade,  unless  on  her  approach  to  such 
port,  she  should  have  been   previously  warned  to  depart. 
That  this  view  of  the  law  is  peculiarly  important  to  nations 
situated  at  a  great  distance  from  the  beUigerent  parties,  and 
incapable  at  any  given  period  of  obtaining  actual  informa- 
tion of  the  then   existing  state  of  their  ports.     That  whole 
coasts  and  countries  should  not  be  declared  in  a  state  of 
blockade,  and  thus  neutral  trade  extinguished,  and  this  prac- 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  37 

ticc  made  an  instrument  of  unjust  monopoly,  instead  of  a 
measure  of  honourable  war." 

In  relation  to  the  orders  in  council,  the  secretary  observed, 
"  that  if  the  right  of  retaliation  was  admitted,  it  should  be 
carried  no  further  against  an  unoffending  neutral,  than  the 
actual  operation  of  the  French  decrees,  which  in  the  present 
case,  were  admitted  to  be  litde  more  than  empty  threats; 
while  on  the  other  hand,  the  orders  in  council  gave  a  deadly 
blow  to  American  commerce,  and  extended  their  operations 
against  the  trade  of  the  United  States  with  nations,  which, 
like  Russia,  had  not  adopted  the  French  decrees.  That  the 
modification  contained  in  the  first  orders,  which  allowed 
neutrals  to  prosecute  their  trade  through  Great  Britain,  con- 
tained a  pretension  utterly  incompatible  with  the  sovereignty 
of  other  states,  and  in  a  commercial  point  of  view,  altogether 
nugatory.  As  France  did  not  permit  a  neutral  to  come  into 
her  ports  from  her  enemy,  this  attempt  of  Great  Britain  to 
force  the  trade  of  the  United  States  through  her  ports,  would 
have  the  effect  of  depriving  them  of  the  markets  of  France, 
and  at  the  same  time  destroying  their  value  in  the  British 
market  by  a  surcharge  of  it.  Against  the  system  adopted  by 
both  belligerents,  the  United  States  had  at  an  early  period 
made  a  solemn  protest.  It  had  been  their  uniform  object 
to  avoid  becoming  a  party  to  the  war.  They  had  ob- 
served a  strict  impartiality  towards  both  belligerents,  having 
in  no  instance  given  a  preference  to  one  at  the  expense  of  the 
other.  The  alternative  presented  by  the  act  of  May  1810, 
was  offered  equally  to  both,  and  could  operate  upon  neither 
any  longer  than  it  should  persevere  in  its  aggressions.  That 
if  it  makes  a  distinction  at  this  time  in  its  operation  between 
the  belligerents,  it  necessarily  results  from  the  compliance  of 
one,  with  the  offer  made  to  both,  and  which  is  still  open  to  the 
compliance  of  the  other.  The  violations  alluded  to  in  the 
act,  are  those  only  which  are  committed  on  the  high  seas.  It 
was  the  revocation  of  these  edicts  alone,  that  the  United 


3g  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2. 

States  could  claim  :  that  these  were  in  reality  and  in  practice 
revoked,  was  proved  not  only  from  the  declarations  of  the 
French  minister  of  the  5th  of  August,  1810,  but  from  the  fact 
that  no  American  vessel  had  been  condemned  under  them 
since  the  1st  of  November,  when  the  revocation  was  to  take 
effect ;  and  from  the  directions  given  to  the  tribunal  of  prizes,  to 
make  no  decision  on  causes  depending  on  those  edicts,  until  after 
the  2d  of  February,  and  on  the  United  States  enforcing  the 
non-importation  law  against  Great  Britiain  at  that  period,  the 
property  was  restored  to  the  owners."  This  discussion,  and 
a  similar  one  conducted  at  the  British  court  between  Mr. 
Pinckney,  and  the  Marquis  of  Wellesley,  ended  in  both  par- 
ties' maintaining  the  ground  they  had  taken,  without  any  con- 
cessiorts  by  either.* 

Condemnation  of  American  Vessels,  Further  documents 
were  communicated  to  Congress,  showing  that  in  June  1811^ 
Sir  Wiliam  Scott,  judge  of  the  vice  admiralty  court,  had  pro- 
ceeded to  render  judgment  in  the  cases  of  the  American  ves- 
sels brought  into  England,  and  libelled  under  the  orders  in 
council,  since  the  French  decrees  were  said  to  be  repealed. 
The  judge  admits  the  principle  that  the  law  of  nations  is  the 
rule  of  decision  in  that  court.  Having  granted  this  point,  to 
give  the  opinion  which  he  was  about  to  declare  the  appear- 
ance of  consistency,  he  had  to  establish  two  positions:  one, 
that  the  orders  in  council  are  consistent  with  the  law  of 
nations ;  the  other,  that  the  French  decrees  are  not  repealed 
as  to  the  United  States.  In  this  effort,  he  exhibits  the  un- 
pleasant spectacle  of  a  great  man,  for  political  purposes, 
arguing  against  the  convictions  of  his  own  understanding. 
He  labours  to  show,  that  the  law  of  nations  justifies  a  retalia- 
tion upon  neutrals,  of  the  aggressions  inflicted  upon  such 
neutrals  by  the  opposing  belligerent.     That  the  orders  in 


'*'  Correspondence  between  Monroe  and  Foster,  communicated  to  Con- 
gress, November  1811. 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  39 

council  are  no  more  than  a  just  measure  of  retaliation  for 
the  French  decrees,  and  are  therefore  justifiable. 

That  the  only  proper  evidence  of  the  revocation  of  the 
orders  in  council  is  some  act  of  the  government  imposing 
them. 

That  if  a  repeal  of  the  French  decrees  would,  without  any 
act  of  the  British  government,  operate  as  a  revocation  of  the 
orders,  yet  that  no  such  repeal  had  ever  taken  place ;  the 
pretended  repeal  being  prospective,  conditional,  and  never 
having  been  carried  into  effect.  The  judge  then  proceeded 
(o  render  judgment  against  twenty-eight  American  vessels,  of 
the  value  of  $832,500,  captured  and  Hbelled  since  the  1st  of 
the  preceding  November.* 

Report  of  Committee  of  Foreign  Relations.  The  message 
and  documents  were  referred  to  the  committee  of  foreign 
relations,!  who  reported  agreeably  to  the  recommendation  of 
the  President,  a  system  of  measures,  for  the  increase  of  the 
military  and  naval  forces,  preparatory  to  a  declaration  of  war. 
The  object  of  the  military  force  was  declared  to  be  the  con- 
quest of  the  Canadas. 

In  introducing  their  report  to  the  consideration  of  the 
house,  the  committee  declare  that  open  avowed  war  with 
Great  Britain  is  the  object,  and  those  who  are  not  prepared 
for  such  an  event  will  of  course  be  opposed  to  the  principles 
of  the  report.  That  in  their  opinion,  the  rights  which  Great 
Britain  had  forcibly  wrested  from  the  United  States,  were 
worth  the  hazard  of  war.  That  both  the  interest  and  honour 
of  the  nation  called  for  the  measure.  That  even  without  a 
navy,  serious  impressions  might  be  made  on  Great  Britain  at 
sea.     That  immediately  after  a  declaration  of  war,  numerous 

*  Sir  William  Scott's  decision  in  the  case  of  the  Fox  and  others,  June 
1811. 

t  Porter,  Calhoun,  Grundy,  Smilie,  Randolph,  Harper,  Key,  Desha, 
Seaver. 


4D  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2. 

American  privateers  would  appear  in  every  part  of  the  ocean, 
and  annoy  her  commerce.  That  they  would  harrass,  if  not 
destroy  the  vast  and  profitable  commerce  which  she  is  carry- 
ing on  to  every  part  of  the  American  continent.  We  could 
destroy,  say  the  committee,  her  fisheries  in  the  north,  depre- 
date on  her  commerce  to  the  West-India  Islands,  which  is 
constantly  passing  by  our  doors,  annoy  her  trade  along  the 
coast  of  South  America,  and  even  carry  the  war  on  her  com- 
merce to  her  own  shores  in  Europe.  But,  said  the  committee, 
there  is  another  point  where  we  can  attack  her,  and  where 
she  would  feel  our  power  most  sensibly.  We  could  deprive 
her  of  her  extensive  provinces  lying  along  our  borders  on  the 
north.  These  provinces  were  not  only  immensely  valuable 
in  themselves,  but  almost  indispensable  to  Great  Britain,  cut 
off  as  she  now  is  in  a  great  measure,  from  the  north  of  Europe. 
The  exports  from  Quebec  alone  for  the  last  year,  are  said  to 
amount  to  nearly  six  millions ;  and  most  of  them  in  articles  of 
the  first  necessity,  in  ship-timber,  and  in  provisions  for  the 
support  of  her  fleets  and  armies.  By  carrying  on  such  a 
war,  at  the  public  expense  on  land,  and  by  individual  enter- 
prise at  sea,  we  should  be  able  to  remunerate  ourselves  in  a 
short  time,  ten-fold  for  all  the  spoliations  she  had  committed 
on  our  commerce.  On  this  occasion,  the  committee  trusted 
that  party  reflections  and  recriminations  would  cease,  and 
that  the  whole  House  of  Representatives,  and  the  great  body 
of  the  people,  would  form  but  one  party,  and  the  enemy  the 
other. 

Arguments  against  the  war,  A  respectable  minority  in 
both  Houses  of  Congress,  a  large  portion  of  the  community, 
including  a  majority  of  the  commercial  interests,  were  op- 
posed to  a  war.  The  genius  of  the  American  government, 
they  contended,  calculated  for  all  the  beneficial  purposes  of 
peace,  is  not  adapted  to  war.  After  hostilities  are  decided  on 
in  the  cabinet,  they  are  to  be  submitted  to  Congress,  there  to 
undergo  a  discussion  of  &ix  or  eight  months,  under  the  view 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  4I 

of  the  minister  of  the  nation  against  whom  they  are  directed, 
who  will  be  careful  to  record  and  transmit  to  his  government 
every  occurrence.  In  this  manner,  by  the  time  war  is  de- 
clared, the  enemy  will  become  fully  possessed  of  the  views, 
objects,  and  plans  of  his  opponent.  After  war  is  decided 
on  in  Congress,  an  army  is  to  be  raised  by  voluntary  enlist- 
ment ;  a  process  always  slow  and  uncertain,  and  often  una- 
vailable. This  completed,  the  army  is  to  be  equipped,  disci- 
plined, and  marched  to  its  object,  where  doubtless  the  enemy 
will  be  found  ready  to  receive  them.  No  police  to  banish 
suspected  persons,  and  to  detect  and  punish  spies  and  traitors. 
By  the  time  an  American  army  would  reach  the  borders  of 
Canada,  they  would  be  met,^it  was  predicted,  by  a  British  force 
of  European  veterans,  provincial  militia,  and  Indian  warriors^ 
sufficient  to  withstand  them.  Canada  is  not  so  easy  a  con- 
quest. Bonaparte  might,  indeed,  have  declared  war,  con- 
quered the  country,  and  made  peace  before  an  American 
army  could  have  commenced  its  operations.  Canada 
conquered,  it  adds  but  an  immense  wilderness  to  the  Americaa 
territory,  and  incorporates  into  its  society,  a  people  of  discor  j 
dant  habits  and  principles,  and  instead  of  strengthening, 
weakens  the  Union.  *i:;^^: 

The  texture  of  the  American  government,  composed  of 
powerful  and  independent  sovereignties,  associated  in  rela 
tions  some  of  which  are  critical  as  well  as  novel,  is  such  that 
war  might  put  its  existence  at  hazard.  War  is  most  likely  to 
call  into  activity  the  passions  which  are  hostile  to  such  a  form 
of  government.  Time  and  further  experience  is  yet  impor- 
tant to  mature  its  recent  institutions.  If  war  is  now  entered 
into,  it  must  be  by  a  divided  people,  as  well  from  a  conviction 
of  the  inadequacy  of  the  means  of  success,  as  from  moral  and 
political  considerations.  —s^y^^ 


"  How,"  said  the  gentlemen  in  opposition  to  the  war,  in 
powerful  strains  of  eloquence,  "  shall  a  nation  like  the  United 
States,  happy  in  its  great  local  relations,  removed  from  the 
bloody  theatre  of  Europe,  with  a  maritime  border  opening 

(> 


49  HISTORY  OP  THE  I^^ATE  WAR.  Chap.  2 

vast  fields  for  enterprise,  with  territorial  possessions  exceed- 
ing every  real  want,  its  fire-sides  safe,  its  altars  undefiled  ; 
from  invasion  nothing  to  fear,  from  acquisition  nothing  to 
hope;  how  shall  such  a  nation  look  to  heaven  for  its  smiles, 
while  throwing  away,  as  though  they  were  worthless,  all  the 
blessings  and  joys  which  peace  and  such  a  distinguished  lot 
secure?  With  what  prayers  can  it  address  the  Most  High, 
when  it  prepares  to  pour  forth  its  youthful  rage  upon  a  neigh- 
bouring people,  from  whose  strength  it  has  nothing  to  dread, 
from  whose  destruction  it  has  nothing  to  gain  ?  What  balm 
has  Canada  for  wounded  honour?  How  are  our  mariners  to 
be  benefited  by  a  war,  which  exposes  those  who  are  free  with- 
©ut  releasing  those  who  have  been  impressed  ?  But  this  war, 
it  is  said,  is  demanded  by  honour.  Is  national  honour  then 
a  principle  that  thirsts  after  vengeance,  and  is  appeased  only 
by  blood;  which  trampling  on  the  hopes  of  man,  and  spurn- 
ing the  laws  of  God,  untaught  by  what  is  past,  and  careless  of 
what  is  to  come,  precipitates  itself  into  any  folly  or  madness 
to  gratify  its  vanity,  or  satiate  some  unhallowed  rage  ? 

If  honour  demands  a  war  with  England,  what  opiate  lulls 
that  honour  to  sleep  over  the  wrongs  done  by  France  ?  On 
land,  robberies,  seizures,  and  imprisonments  ;  at  sea,  pillage, 
sinkings,  and  burnings.  These  are  notorious.  Are  they 
unfelt  because  they  are  French?  To  supply  the  waste  of 
such  a  war,  and  to  meet  the  appropriations  of  millions,  extra- 
ordinary for  the  war  expenditures,  our  citizens  must  be 
doomed,  throughout  the  Union,  to  sustain  the  burthen  of  war- 
taxes,  in  various  forms  of  direct  and  indirect  imposition. 

"It  would  be  some  relief,  if  amends  were  likely  to  be  made 
for  the  weakness  and  wildness  of  the  project,  by  the  prudence 
of  the  preparation.  But  in  no  respect  can  we  trace  any 
great  and  distinctive  properties  of  wisdom.  With  a  navy  com- 
paratively nominal,  we  are  about  to  encounter  the  greatest 
marine  on  the  globe.  With  a  commerce  unprotected  and 
spread  over  every  ocean,  we  propose  to  make  profit  by 
jprivateering,  and  for  this  endanger  the  wealth  of  which  we  are 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  43 

the  honest  proprietors.  An  invasion  is  threatened  of  the 
colonies  of  a  power,  which,  without  putting  a  single  new  ship 
in  commission,  or  taking  another  soldier  into  pay,  can  spread 
alarm  and  desolation  along  the  extensive  range  of  our  sea- 
board. Before  adequate  fortifications  are  prepared  for  do- 
mestic defence,  before  men  or  money  are  provided  for  an 
attack,  why  hasten  into  that  awful  contest  which  desolates 
Europe  ?  It  is  not  to  be  concealed,  that  to  engage  in  the 
present  war  against  England,  is  to  place  ourselves  on  the  side 
of  France,  and  expose  ourselves  to  the  vassalage  of  states 
serving  under  the  banners  of  the  French  emperor."  On  the 
sea-board  is  an  extent  of  more  than  two  thousand  miles, 
bordered  with  flourishing  cities  w^holly  unguarded ;  not  a  sin- 
gle port  able  to  protect  itself  against  a  British  fleet.  An  infant 
navy,  unable  to  defend  itself,  or  to  guard  a  city,  or  scarcely 
to  contend  with  a  single  ship  of  the  hne.  This  navy  would 
probably  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and  be  the  means 
of  their  further  aggrandizement.  Should,  however,  the  Ameri- 
can arms,  united  with  France,  conquer  Great  Britain,  America 
must  herself  expect  to  fall  the  next  victim  to  French  des- 
potism. The  causes  of  war  exist  equally  against  France,  and 
her  means  of  annoyance  are  much  less ;  while  the  British^re 
masters  of  the  ocean,  the  United  States  are  safe  from  her 
attacks.  , 

The  true  interest,  honour,  and  sound  policy  of  the  United 
States,  it  was  contended,  require  them  to  stand  aloof  from  the 
present  contest,  leave  the  merchant  to  improve  the  remnant 
of  commerce  at  his  own  discretion,  abolish  the  restrictive 
system,  and  wait  until  a  change  of  circumstances  in  Europe 
should  restore  the  former  state  of  things.     A  considerable 
portion  of  commerce  is  still  open  to  American  enterprise.      / 
The  French  decrees  could  interrupt  only  in  a  small  degree      I 
the  American  trade,  the  risks  of  which  would  soon  be  meas-     j 
ured  by  the  insurance  offices,  so  that  the  ship  owners  might 
trade  with  safety.     That  the  trade  with  France,  whose  go- 
vernment obliges  the  American  merchant  to  take   in  pay-  ; 


44  illSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap,  2. 

ment  for  his  valuable  commodities  a  return  cargo  of  silks  and 
brandies,  was  not  worth  contending  for,  and  putting  at  hazard 
the  dearest  interests  of  the  Union.* 

John  Henryls  Disclosure.  As  further  evidence  of  the  hos- 
tile views  of  Great  Britain  towards  the  United  States,  and  of 
•a  disposition  to  chewsh  and  to  profit  by  any  internal  dissen- 
tions  which  might  be  supposed  to  exist,  the  President,  on  the 
9th  of  March,  communicated  to  Congress  the  documents  and 
disclosures  received  at  the  department  of  state,  from  John 
Henry;  from  which  it  appeared,  that  Sir  James  Craig,  Govern- 
or General  of  the  Canadas,  in  February  1809,  employed  this 
man,  an  Irish  emigrant,  and  formerly  a  captain  in  the  United 
States  service,  now  a  desperate  and  unprmcipled  adventurer, 
in  a  mission  of  intrigue,  and  directed  him  to  proceed  from 
Montreal  to  Boston,  with  instructions  to  obtain  the  most  accurate 
information  of  the  true  state  of  affairs  in  that  part  of  the  Union, 
which,  as  he  states,  from  its  wealth,  number  of  inhabitants, 
and  the  known  intelligence  and  ability  of  several  of  its  lead- 
ing men,  must  naturally  possess  a  very  considerable  influence 
over,  and  would  probably  lead,  the  other  Eastern  States  at 
this  important  crisis.  To  observe  the  state  of  public  opinion, 
both  with  regard  to  their  internal  politics,  and  to  a  probability 
of  a  war  with  England ;  the  comparative  strength  of  the 
two  great  parties  into  which  the  country  is  divided,  and  the 
views  and  designs  of  that  which  may  ultimately  prevail.  The 
instructions  *'  proceed  to  remark,  that  it  has  been  supposed 
that  if  the  federalists  are  successful  in  obtaining  that  decided 
influence  which  may  enable  them  to  direct  public  opinon,  that 
rather  than  submit  to  the  continuance  of  the  difficulties  and 
distress  to  which  they  are  now  subject,  they  will  exert  that 
influence  to  bring  about  a  separation  from  the  general  Union. 
The  earliest  information  on  this  subject  may  be  of  great  con- 
sequence to  our  government ;  as  also  to  be  informed  how  far, 
in  such  an  event,  they  would  look  to  England  lor  assistance, 
or  be  disposed  to  enter  into  a  connexion  with  us. 

*  Debates  in  Congress,  December  1811, 


1812.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  4$ 

"  Although  it  is  inexpedient  that  you  should  appear  as  an 
avowed  agent,  yet  it  may  not  be  improper  that  you  should 
insinuate,  that  if  they  should  wish  to  enter  into  any  communica- 
tion with  our  government  through  me,  you  are  authorized  to 
receive  any  such,  and  will  safely  transmit  it  to  me.  As  they 
may  require  some  document  by  which  they  may  be  assured 
that  you  are  really  in  a  situation  in  which  you  represent  your- 
self, I  enclose  a  credential  to  be  produced  in  that  view ;  but 
you  are  not  to  make  use  of  it,  unless  you  see  good  ground  for 
expecting  that  it  may  lead  to  a  more  confidential  communica- 
tion. In  passing  through  Vermont  you  will  of  course  exert 
your  endeavours  to  procure  all  the  information  in  your 
power."* 

Furnished  with  these  instructions,  and  with  a  cypher,  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  on  a  secret  correspondence  with  his 
principal,  this  political  spy  set  out  on  his  mission  on  the  11th 
of  February.  At  Burlington,  Vermont,  he  fancied  he  had 
found  considerable  materials  for  sedition,  and  a  very  favoura- 
ble disposition  towards  his  majesty's  government  and  Sir 
James's  administration  in  Canada,  so  that  in  case  of  a  war 
with  Great  Britain,  Vermont  would  remain  neutral.  At  Wind- 
sor,,^ his  faith  appeared  very  much  shaken ;  and  at  Amherst, 
New-Hampshire,  he  found  himself  unable  to  form  any  opin- 
ion upon  the  subject.  He  arrived  at  Boston  on  the  5th  of 
March,  and  remained  there  until  the  first  of  June,  during 
which  time  he  amused  his  employers  with  ten  letters,  address- 
ed to  Sir  James,  informing  him  of  the  disposition  he  had 
discovered  in  the  leading  men,  without  naming  any,  to  oppose 
the  embargo  laws,  and  in  case  of  a  war  with  Great  Britain, 
to  oppose  the  general  government,  and  separate  from  the 
Union.  This  disposition  was  to  be  cherished  and  cultivated 
with  the  greatest  caution  and  prudence.  He  was  himself,  he 
states,  very  instrumental  in  bringing  it  about,  and  the  result 
would  be  highly  beneficial  to  the  safety  and  prosperity  of  his 

*  Sir  J.  Craig's  instructions  to  J.  Henry,  Feb.  6th,  1809. 


/ 


46  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2. 

majesty's  colonies.  While  things  were  progressing  in  his 
apprehension  in  a  most  prosperous  way,  the  President's 
prompt  acceptance  of  the  friendly  propositions  made  by  Great 
Britain,  through  Mr.  Erskine,  produced  a  sudden  change,  and 
a  temporary  suspension  of  the  conflict  of  parties.  Accor- 
ding to  Henry's  views,  both  parties  regarded  that  event 
with  equal  wonder  and  distrust.  They  ascribe  the  President's 
conduct  to  various  motives,  but  none  believe  him  to  be  sin- 
cere. *  This  event  put  an  end  to  Mr.  Henry's  mission.  His 
papers  were  all  transcribed,  and  sent  to  the  British  ministry, 
and  Lord  Liverpool  speaks  in  terms  of  commendation  of  the 
zeal  and  ability  with  which  he  executed  his  trust.  Henry 
returned  to  Montreal,  and  from  thence  to  London,  and  pre- 
sented his  claims  for  compensation  to  Lord  Liverpool,  who 
referred  him  back  to  Sir  George  Prevost,  the  successor  of  Sir 
James.  But  his  demands  were  of  such  a  nature  and  magni- 
tude, as  to  meet  a  denial.  The  spy  now  became  traitor,  and 
came  to  Washington  full  of  zeal  and  affection  for  the  United 
States,  and  desirous  of  making  a  disclosure  which  should  be 
all  important  to  their  interests.  T  The  whole  of  his  papers, 
the  most  secret  and  confidential  between  him  and  his  govern- 
ment, were  disclosed  to  the  department  of  state,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  being  made  public.  He  received  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars for  his  treachery,  and  retired  to  France  to  enjoy  the  fruits 
of  his  speculation. 

This  disclosure  proved  that  its  author  was  a  villain;  that 
his  employers  were  desirous  of  obtaining  accurate  informa- 
tion of  the  state  of  political  parties  in  America,  and  of  profit- 
ing by  their  dissensions ;  and  that  they  were  in  the  habit  of 
employing  secret  agents  for  this  purpose.  The  conduct  of 
the  administration  in  obtaining  these  documents,  was  severely 
censured  by  the  opposition.  They  considered  the  conduct 
of  Henry  in  betraying  the  secrets  of  his  government,  as  highly 

*  Henry's  Letters  to  Craig,  from  No.  3  to  14. 

I  Henry's  Letters  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  February  20,  1812. 


J812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  4^^ 

criminal,  and  endeavoured  to  implicate  the  American  cabinet 
upon  the  generally  received  principle,  that  he  who  procures  a 
crime  to  be  committed  is  equally  guilty  with  the  perpetrator ; 
without  admitting,  as  a  justification,  the  maxim  in  political 
morality  often  practised  upon,  that  where  an  important  object 
is  to  be  obtained,  the  means  are  not  to  be  scrupulously  ques- 
tioned. They  also  claimed  that  the  information,  purchased 
at  so  dear  a  rate,  was  of  no  importance :  no  facts  were  dis- 
closed, other  than  what  might  naturally  be  supposed  to  exist ; 
and  none  from  which  any  practical  consequences  resulted. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives  five  thousand  copies  of 
Henry's  documents  were  ordered  to  be  printed,  and  the  sub- 
ject referred  to  the  committee  of  foreign  relations,  with  power 
to  send  for  persons,  papers,  and  effects,  but  no  further  dis- 
coveries were  obtained.  In  the  senate  a  resolution  was  passed, 
requesting  the  President  to  furnish  the  names  of  any  persons 
anywise  implicated  in  Henry's  disclosures.  To  this  appli- 
cation the  secretary  of  state  reported,  that  no  persons  had 
been  named  by  Henry  as  having  any  concern  in  his  views 
and  projects.  * 

Further  Correspondence  between  the  American  and  British 
Ministers.  On  the  1st  of  June  the  President  transmitted  to 
Congress  a  correspondence  between  Mr.  Russell,  the  Ameri- 
can charge  des  affaires  at  London,  and  the  British  ministry, 
on  the  subject  of  the  orders  in  council,  by  which  it  appeared, 
that  they  inflexibly  adhered  to  their  system,  and  that  all  hopes 
of  accommodation  were  at  an  end.  At  the  same  time  a  fur- 
ther correspondence  was  communicated  between  Mr.  Foster 
and  the  secretary  of  state  on  the  same  subject.  As  evidence 
that  the  French  decrees  were  not  repealed,  Mr.  Foster 
adduced  a  report  of  the  French  minister  of  foreign  relations 
to  the  emperor  of  the  tenth  of  March,  which  was  communi- 
cated to  the  conservative  senate,  in  which  it  is  stated  that 


*  Journals  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  Congress^ 
March  1812. 


48  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  «. 

these  decrees  are  to  be  the  bases  of  a  system  to  exclude 
British  merchandise  from  the  ^continent  of  Europe.  That 
the  armies  of  the  emperor  are  to  occupy  the  countries  under 
his  control,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  into  effect  these 
objects.  That  neutral  vessels  that  had  submitted  to  EngHsh 
legislation  by  touching  at  an  English  port,  or  paid  tribute  to 
England,  had  thereby  renounced  the  rights  of  their  flag,  and 
become  denationalized.  The  British  minister,  therefore, 
claimed  that  the  non-importation  law  ought  to  be  repealed  as 
to  Great  Britain,  and  commerce  with  her  placed  on  the  same 
footing  as  with  France. 

To  this  claim  Mr.  Monroe  replied,  that  the  American  govern- 
ment had  no  concern  with  the  edicts  of  the  French  emperor, 
operative  only  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  or  with  his  conduct 
towards  any  other  nation  that  the  United  States.  That  the 
document  in  question  furnished  no  evidence  of  a  renewal  of 
those  decrees,  so  far  as  they  affected  American  commerce  on 
the  ocean,  and  of  course  afforded  no  claim  on  the  part  of 
Great  Britain  for  the  repeal  of  the  non-importation  law,  or 
any  justification  for  a  continuance  of  the  orders  in  council. 

In  communicating  these  documents  to  Congress,  the  Presi- 
dent stated  that  further  negotiations  would  be  useless.  That 
it  had  now  become  a  solemn  question  for  the  national  legisla- 
ture to  decide,  whether  they  should  abandon  their  rights,  or 
appeal  to  arms  for  their  support.  * 

Declaration  of  War,  The  committee  of  foreign  relations, 
to  whom  the  message  and  documents  were  referred,  reported, 
*'  that  the  period  had  now  arrived,  when  the  United  States 
must  support  their  character  and  station  among  the  nations  of 
the  earth,  or  submit  to  the  most  shameful  degradation.  For- 
bearance had  ceased  to  be  a  virtue.  War  on  one  side,  and 
peace  on  the  other,  is  a  situation  as  ruinous  as  it  is  disgrace- 
ful. The  mad  ambition  and  commercial  avarice  of  Great 
Britain  arrogated  to  herself  the  complete  dominion  of  the 

*  President'a  Message,  June  1, 1812,  and  Documents. 


1812.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  ,49 

ocean,  and  left  to  neutral  nations  an  alternative  only  between 
a  base  surrender  of  their  rights  and  a  manly  vindication  of 
ihem.  That  the  United  States,  under  the  aid  of  Heaven,  held 
their  destinies  in  their  own  hands."  ,   ,    ,; ; 

The  committee  then  proceed  to  enumerate  the  British 
aggressions  upon  the  neutral  rights  of  the  United  States,  from 
the  commencement  of  the  European  war,  to  the  period  of 
their  report.  "  More  recently,"  they  remark,  "  the  true  policy 
of  the  British  government  has  been  completely  unfolded."  It 
has  been  publicly  declared  that  the  orders  in  council  should 
not  be  repealed,  until  France  had  revoked  all  her  internal 
restraints  on  British  commerce.  That  the  American  trade 
with  France,  and  her  allies  should  be  prohibited  until  Great 
Britain  was  also  allowed  to  trade  with  France.  By  this  de- 
claration it  appears,  that  nothing  short  of  the  United  Stat-es 
joining  in  the  war  against  France  would  satisfy  the  claims  of 
the  British  government.  They  consider  the  United  States  as 
their  great  commercial  rival,  and  their  prosperity  and  growth 
as  incompatible  with  the  welfare  of  Great  Britain.  Under 
all  these  circumstances,  the  committee  remark,  "it is  impossi- 
ble to  doubt  the  motives  which  have  governed  the  British 
ministry  in  all  its  measures  towards  the  United  States;  equally 
impossible  is  it  to  doubt  the  course  which  America  ought  to 
pursue.  The  contest  which  is  now  forced  upon  her,  is  radi-- 
cally  a  contest  for  her  sovereignty  and  independence^  The 
free-born  sons  of  America  are  worthy  to  enjoy  the  liberty 
which  their  fathers  purchased  at  the  price  of  much  blood  and 
treasure  ;  and  the  committee  seeing  in  the  measures  adopted 
by  Great  Britain,  a  course  commenced  and  persisted  in,  which 
if  submitted  to,  might  lead  to  a  loss  of  national  character  and 
independence,  feel  no  hesitation  in  advising  to  a  resistance  by 
force,  in  which  the  Americans  of  the  present  day,  will  prove 
to  the  enemy  and  to  the  world,  that  they  not  only  have  inher- 
ited that  liberty  which  their  fathers  gave  them,  but  also  the 
will  and  the  power  to  maintain  it.  Relying  on  the  patriotism 
of  the  nation,  and  confidently  trusting  that  the  Lord  of  hosts 

7 

i 


50  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2. 

will  go  with  us  to  battle  in  a  righteous  cause,  and  crown  oui 
efforts  with  success,  the  committee  recommend  an  immediate 
appeal  to  arms."* 

On  the  18th  of  June,  an  act  passed  both  houses  of  Con- 
grees,  and  was  approved  by  the  President,  declaring  "  war  to 
exist  between  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ire- 
land, and  the  dependencies  thereof,  and  the  United  States  of 
America,  and  their  territories;  and  that  the  President  be 
authorized  to  use  the  whole  land  and  naval  force  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  to  carry  the  same  into  effect,  and  to  issue  to  private 
armed  vessels  of  the  United  states,  commissions,  or  letters  of 
marque  and  general  reprisals,  in  such  form  as  he  shall  think 
proper,  under  the  seal  of  the  United  States,  against  the  ves- 
sels, goods,  and  effects  of  the  government  of  Great  Britain, 
and  her  subjects."  This  act  passed  the  Senate,  yeas  19; 
Nays  13. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives — 


Yeas. 

J^ayg. 

New-Hampshire,  - 

-  -     3 

-  -     2 

Massachusetts,  -  - 

-  -     '6  -  -  -  - 

-  -     8 

Rhode-Island,  -  - 

.  -     0 

-  -     2 

Vermont, 

-  -     3  -  -  -  - 

-  -      1 

Connecticut,  -  -  - 

-  -     0 

-  -     7 

New-York,    -  -  - 

-  -     3  -  -  -  - 

-  -  n 

New-Jersey,  -  -  - 

-  -     2  -  -  -  - 

-  -     4 

Pennsylvania,  -  - 

-  -  16  -  .  .  - 

-  -     2 

Delaware,  -  -  -  -  . 

.  .     0  -  -  -  - 

-  -      1 

Maryland,  -  -  -  .  . 

.  .     6  -  -  -  - 

-  -     3 

Virginia, 

.  -   14  -  -  -  - 

-  -     5 

North-Carolina,  -  - 

.  -     6  -  -  -  - 

-  -     3 

South-Carolina,    -  • 

-  -     8  -  -  -  - 

-  -     0 

Georgia,-  -  -  -  -  . 

•  -     3 

-  -     0 

Kentucky, 

•  -     5  -  -  -  - 

-  -     0 

Tennessee,    -  -  -  . 

•  -     3 

-  -     0 

Ohio, 

-      1   -  .  .  . 

-  -     0 

Majority,  30. 

79 

49 

♦  Report  of  committee  of  foreign  relations. 


1818.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  61 

In  selecting  Great  Britain  as  an  enemy,  when  equal  cause 
of  war  existed  against  her  and  France,  it  was  considered  that 
the  latter  had  no  assailable  points,  no  colonies  on  the  conti- 
nent of  America,  no  Islands  in  the  West  Indies  unoccupied  by 
the  British,  no  commerce  on  the  ocean  to  invite,  and  reward 
the  enterprise  of  American  privateers.  A  declaration  of 
war  against  her  would  in  effect  be  a  mere  empty  threat,  hav- 
ing no  other  practical  result  than  to  force  the  country  into  an 
unequal  and  dangerous  alliance  with  Great  Britain. 

Protest  of  the  Minority,  Immediately  on  the  passage  of 
the  bill,  the  minority  in  Congress  published  an  address  to  their 
constituents,  assigning  their  reasons  against  the  measure. 
In  their  view,  a  war  with  England  would  necessarily  lead  to  a 
connexion  with  France,  hazardous  to  the  liberties  of  the 
United  States.  If  war  at  all  was  necessary,  it  ought  to  be 
with  France,  as  being  the  first  and  greatest  in  her  aggres- 
sions. The  commerce  of  France  aiid  her  dependencies, 
embarrassed  as  it  was  with  her  internal  restrictions,  was  not 
worth  contending  for.  A  profitable  trade  with  England,  they 
said,  might  be  still  carried  on,  notwithstanding  the  French 
edicts,  as  they  were  unable  to  enforce  them  to  any  extent. 
A  considerable  portion  of  the  world,  to  which  American  com- 
merce might  extend,  was  not  embraced  in  the  prohibitions  of 
either  belligerent.  They  would  therefore  suffer  the  Ameri- 
can merchants  to  arm  in  their  own  defence,  and  pursue  such 
course  of  trade  as  their  judgment  should  direct.  They  con- 
sidered the  attempt  to  conquer  Canada  as  unjust  and  impo- 
litic in  itself,  very  uncertain  in  the  issue,  and  promising  no  good 
in  any  result.  The  unprepared  state  of  the  country,  in  their 
view,  altogether  forbade  a  declaration  of  war  at  present.  With- 
out an  army,  or  navy,  or  funds  to  create  and  support  either; 
we  were  about  to  enter  the  lists  with  a  power,  who  would  at 
once  desolate  our  frontier  and  seaboard  with  impunity. 
What,  they  ask,  "  are  the  United  States  to  gain  by  this  war? 
Will  the  gratification  of  some  privateersmen  compensate  the 
nation  for  that  sweep  of  our  legitimate  commerce,  b^  the 


52  HISTORY  OF  THE  l.ATE  WAR.  Chap.  % 

extended  marine  of  our  enemy,  which  this  desperate  act  in- 
vites ?  will  Canada  compensate  the  Middle  States  for  New- 
York,  or  the  Western  for  New- Orleans  ?  Let  us  not  be  de- 
ceived. A  war  of  invasion  may  invite  a  retort  of  invasion. 
When  we  visit  the  peaceable,  and  as  to  us  innocent  colo- 
nies of  Great  Britain  with  the  horrors  of  war,  can  we  be  as- 
sured that  our  own  coast  will  not  be  visited  with  like  horror? 
At  a  crisis  of  the  world  such  as  the  preseat,  and  under  im- 
pressions such  as  these,  the  undersigned  cannot  consider  the 
war  into  which  the  United  States  have  in  secret  been  precipi- 
tated as  necessary,  or  required  by  any  moral  duty  or  politi- 
cal expediency."* 

War  Measures,  The  measures  adopted  this  session  prepa- 
ratory to,  or  in  consequence  of  the  declaration  of  war,  were, 
an  act  prohibiting  the  exportation  of  specie,  a  general  embargo 
for  ninety  days  from  the  24th  of  April ;  an  act  authorizing  the 
enlistment  of  twenty-five  thousand  men,  and  filling  up  the 
peace  establishment  of  six  thousand;  several  acts  authorizing 
the  President  to  accept  the  services  of  fifty  thousand  volun- 
teers; to  call  upon  the  executives  of  the  several  states  for  a 
detachment  of  one  hundred  thousand  militia,  to  be  apportion- 
ed to  each  state  according  to  the  militia  returns;  to  raise  seven 
companies  of  rangers  of  seventy-two  men  each  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  frontiers  from  Indian  depredations  ;  several  acts 
estabhshing  the  staff  department,  providing  for  the  purchase 
of  ordnance,  camp  equipage,  military  stores,  and  arms,  and 
providing  for  the  equipment  and  manning  the  navy. 

Treasury  Estimates.     The  estimates  to  meet 
these  expenses,  and  for  which  Congress  made 
appropriations,  were  for  the  army  and  fortifica- 
tions gll,466,562 
For  the  navy  3,404,669 
These,  together  with  the  sum  of                           11,745,388 

*  Address  of  the  minority  in  Coni^ress  to  their  constituents,  June 
1812, 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  53 

for  the  support  of  government,  reimbursing  the 
public  debt,  and  other  purposes,  made  an  ag- 
gregate to  be  provided  for  the  year  1 8 1 2  of  26,6 16,619 

In  his  annual  report,  the  secretary  of  the 
treasury  stated  that  the  amount  of  public  debt 
due  on  the  1st  of  April,  1801,  amounted  to  79,926,999 

That  of  this  debt  there  had  been  extinguished 
in  eleven  years  46,022,810 


leaving  of  the  old  debt  due  on  the  1  st  of  January, 
1812,  33,904,189 

to  which  is  to  be  added  the  debt  contracted  for 
the  purchase  of  Louisiana,  amounting  to  1 1,250,000 


making  the  whole  debt  of  the  United  States  on 

the  1st  of  Jan.  1812,  45,154,189 

System  of  Finance  for  the  War.  On  the  17th  of  February 
the  committee  of  ways  and  means  reported  a  system  of  fi- 
nance adapted  to  a  state  of  war  for  three  years,  the  outlines 
of  which  were  to  support  the  war  altogether  by  loans,  to  es- 
tablish a  revenue  which  should  be  sufficient  to  meet  the  ordi- 
nary expenses  of  government,  and  pay  the  interest  on  the  war 
loans.  The  extraordinary  expenses  for  which  it  was  neces- 
sary to  obtain  loans  for  the  present  year  were  estimated  at 
eleven  miUions.  A  state  of  war,  the  committee  remark,  will 
necessarily  very  much  diminish  importations,  and  the  revenue 
derived  from  them  ;  to  meet  this  event,  as  well  as  to  provide 
for  the  interest  on  the  war  loans,  they  recommend,  that  the 
impost  duties  be  doubled,  foreign  tonnage  raised  to  one  dollar 
and  fifty  cents,  a  direct  tax  of  three  miUions,  and  an  extensive 
system  of  internal  duties  and  excise. 

The  general  principles  embraced  in  the  report  were  adopted^ 
The  direct  tax  and  internal  duties  were  postponed  until  the 
next  session,  a  loan  of  eleven  millions  was  authorized  at  an 
interest  not  exceeding  six  per  cent,  and  reimbursable  in  twelve 
years.     In  execution  of  this  authority,  the  secretary  of  the 


54  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Ghap.  2. 

treasury  directed  subscriptions  to  be  opened  at  the  principal 
banks  in  the  United  States  on  the  1st  and  2d  days  of  May. 
To  encourage  banks  to  subscribe,  it  was  provided,  that  the 
money  subscribed  by  any  bank,  should  remain  a  deposit  there- 
in, until  called  for  by  the  secretary  for  the  use  of  the  United 
States ;  and  the  cashier's  certificate  that  a  sum  was  passed  to 
the  credit  of  the  United  States  on  his  books,  entitled  the  bank 
to  that  amount  in  United  States  stock  bearing  an  interest  of 
six  per  centum. 
On  the  returns  of  the  subscriptions,  it  appeared 

that  there  had  been  subscribed  by  banks  $4,190,000 

and  by  individuals  1,928,000 


Leaving  a  balance  of  4,882,000 

of  the  eleven  miUions  not  taken  up. 

To  supply  this  deficiency,  the  President  was  authorized  to 
issue  treasury  notes,  payable  in  one  year,  and  bearing  an  in- 
terest of  five  and  two-fifths  per  cent.  These  notes  were 
receivable  in  all  payments  at  the  treasury,  and  calculated  to 
pass  as  a  currency,  and  supersede  to  a  certain  extent,  the 
circulation  of  bank  bills.  Congress  rose  on  the  6th  of  July^ 
after  a  session  of  eight  months. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Situation  of  the  United  States  at  the  Declaration  of  the  War. — Popu- 
lation.— Military  and  Naval  Power. — State  of  Great  Britain. — ^Indian 
Population ;  Character. — Tecumseh. — British  and  Indian  Alliance. — 
Proceedings  of  the  Several  States  in  relation  to  the  War. — Louisi- 
ana.— New- York. — Ohio. — New-Jersey. — Connecticut — Report  of 
the  Committee  to  the  Legislature  of  Connecticut — Massachusetts. — 
Governor  Strong's  Reasons  for  not  calling  out  the  Militia. — Opinion  of 
the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  on  the  subject. — Resolutions  of 
Maryland  on  the  subject  of  the  War. — Of  Pennsylvania. — Report 
of  the  Secretary  at  War  on  the  Powers  of  Congress  relative  to  the 
Militia. — Proceedings  in  Canada  on  the  War. — Orders  for  Governor 
Prevost — Governor  Brock's  Addre^  to  the  Legislature  of  Upper 
Canada. — Address  of  the  Legislature  of  Upper  Canada  to  their  Con- 
stituents,— ^Prince  Regent'8  Manifesto. 

Situation  of  the  United  States.  At  the  period  of  the  de- 
claration of  war,  the  United  States  had  a  population  of  eight 
miUions.  Their  navy  consisted  of  three  frigates  of  forty-four 
guns,  four  of  thirty-six,  three  of  thirty-two,  ten  ^mall  vessels 
of  war,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  gun-boats.  Their 
regular  army  amounted  to  three  thousand  effective  men,  ancl 
their  militia  to  eight  hundred  thousand. 

Of  Great  Britian.  The  population  of  the  British  North 
American  colonies  bordering  on  the  United  States,  was  esti- 
mated at  four  hundred  thousand,  their  mihtia  at  forty  thousand, 
and  a  regular  military  force  of  six  thousand,  stationed  at 
Quebec,  and  other  posts  in  the  colonies.  The  British  naval 
establishment  at  the  same  period,  consisted  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty-four  ships  of  the  line  of  seventy-four  guns  and 
upwards,  thirty-five  fifties  and  forty-fours,  two  hundred  and 
forty-seven  frigates,  and  five  hundred  and  six  small  vessels  of 
war.*     Great  Britain  was  engaged  at  the  same  time  in  an 

*  Steele's  list 


56  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap  2. 

expensive  and  hazardous  war  with  France  in  the  Spanish 
peninsula ;  and  also  in  assisting  Russia  in  defending  herself 
against  Bonaparte's  invasion. 

Of  the  Indian  Tribes.  In  the  unsettled  territory  of  the 
United  States,  east  of  the  Mississippi,  was  an  Indian  popula- 
tion estimated  at  one  hundred  thousand  souls,*  and  capable  of 
furnishing  ten  thousand  warriors.  Most  of  the  tribes  receive 
annual  stipends  from  the  American  government,  in  clothing  and 
articles  of  husbandry,  in  consideration  of  portions  of  their  land 
which  they  have  ceded  to  the  United  States.  Trading  houses 
and  small  military  posts  are  established  in  various  parts  of 
their  territory,  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  them  in  order, 
a*id  accommodating  them  with  necessaries.  Great  pains 
have  been  taken  by  the  government,  and  private  charitable 
societies,  to  instruct  and  bring  them  to  some  degree  of  civili- 
zation. Still  this  population  remain  poor,  improvident,  and 
with  litde  tillage,  seeking  a  precarious  subsistence  from  the 
woods  and  waters.  They  are  naturally  indolent,  but  when 
roused  to  action,  vindictive,  exterminating,  and  capable  of 
enduring  the  greatest  fatigue  and  deprivations.  Their  prin- 
ciples of  war  are  to  make  no  prisoners,  but  to  massacre  all 
that  fall  into  their  power,  defenceless  women  and  children, 
the  aged  and  infirm,  as  well  as  the  soldier  in  arms.  Unable 
to  meet  an  enemy  in  the  open  field,  their  war  consists  of 
ambuscade  and  surprise.  They  will  traverse  the  wilderness 
for  hundreds  of  miles,  for  the  sake  of  plundering,  burning, 
and  destroying  defenceless  villages  and  their  inhabitants. 
By  their  swiftness  in  returning,  they  elude  pursuit :  and  are 
always  a  terror  to  the  frontier  inhabitants. 

Within  the  British  territories  bordering  on  the  United  States, 
and  subject  to  British  influence,  was  a  similar  population  of 
about  one  third  of  the  amount.  It  would  have  been  happy 
and  honourable   for  both  nations,   if  these   children  of  the 


*  Morse's  Gazetteer. 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  57 

forest  could  have  been  suffered  to  remain  at  peace  during  the 
contest.     But  such  was  not  the  lot  of  this  people. 

Tecumseh,  Tecumseh  a  celebrated  chief  of  the  Shawanee 
tribe,  in  the  centre  of  the  Indian  population,  an  inveterate 
enemy  to  the  Americans,  had  formed  the  plan  of  uniting  the 
Indians  of  the  west,  north-west,  and  south,  to  expel  the  whites 
from  the  lands  north-westward  of  the  Ohio  ;  for  this  pur- 
pose, he  had  visited  the  various  tribes,  held  war-councils,_and 
inspired  them  in  a  high  degree  with  his  own  feelings.  Though^ 
at  this  time  but  about  forty-four  years  old,  he  had  been  in 
almost  every  battle  since  Harmer's  defeat.  He  bore  a  con- 
spicuous part  in  the  celebrated  battle  of  Tippecanoe.  His 
eloquence  was  nervous,  concise,  and  impressive;  his  words 
few,  but  always  to  the  purpose.  From  his  talents  and  exer- 
tions, he  had  acquired  an  extensive  influence  over  the  sav- 
ages;  and  by  his  attendance  at  their  councils,  and  persuasive 
eloquence,  had  brought  them  into  his  views.*  In  this  he 
was  very  much  aided  by  a  religious  fanaticism,  which  at 
this  time  prevailed  among  them.  A  set  of  prophets  had  risen 
up,  who  persuaded  the  Indians  that  they  were  sent  immedi- 
ately from  the  Great  Spirit  to  direct  them.  Tecumseh  en- 
listed these  impostors  into  his  service,  and  induced  them  to 
proclaim  to  the  Indians,  that  it  was  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit, 
that  they  should  unite  in  extirpating  the  whites,  that  they  would 
certainly  be  successful,  and  repossesftheir  country  ;  and  that 
those  who  were  slain  in  the  attempt,  would  go  to  the  land  of  their 
fathers, to  a  land  abounding  with  fish  and  game.  The  character 
and  schemes  of  this  savage  were  exacdy  suited  to  the  views  of 
the  British.  At  the  commencement  of  the  war,  they  took 
him  into  their  service,  with  the  rank  and  pay  of  a  brigadier 
general ;  and  formed  an  alhance  with  him  and  his  associates, 
the  object  of  which  was  to  extirpate  the  frontier  setdements ; 
and  one  condition  of  which  was,  that  no  peace  should  be 


*  Brown's  views  ofthe  north-western  campaign. 
8 


58  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  iX 

made  with  the  Americans,  which  did  not -embrace  a  restoration 
of  the  lands  purchased  of  the  Indians  since  1795.* 

Views  of  the  State  Governments  in  relation  to  the  War, 
Although  Congress  have  the  power  of  declaring  war,  and  the 
necessary  powers  incident  thereto ;  yet,  as  the  United  States 
at  this  period,  consisted  of  eighteen  distinct  sovereignties, 
independent  in  every  thing,  excepting  where  their  rights 
were  ceded  to  the  general  government  by  the  constitution, 
their  co-operation  in  the  war  measures  was  necessary  to  a 
successful  issue  of  the  contest.  The  authorities  of  each 
state  took  the  earliest  opportunities  after  the  declaration  of 
waF,  to  express  their  sentiments  on  the  measure. 

Louisiana.  On  the  30th  of  July,  1812,  for  the  first  time 
since  the  organization  of  the  state  government.  Governor 
Clairborne  met  the  legislature  of  Louisiana.  In  his  address, 
on  the  subject  of  the  war,  he  remarks,  "  the  United  States 
are  engaged  in  a  war,  to  the  calamities  of  which,  this  section 
ef  the  union  is  greatly  exposed.  We  know  not  the  moment 
when  the  enemy  may  enter  the  sanctuary  of  our  dwellings, 
and  convert  to  his  use  the  fruits  of  our  industry.  A  sense  of 
common  danger  should  unite  every  heart,  and  strengthen 
every  arm.  If  ever  war  was  justifiable,  the  one  which  our 
country  has  declared  is  that  war.  If  ever  a  people  had  cause 
lo  repose  in  the  confidence  of  their  government,  we  are  that 
people.  Union  is  in  itself  a  host;  it  is  numbers,  strength, 
and  security.  Let  every  man  put  himself  in  armour.  When 
justice  is  the  standard,  Heaven  is  the  warrior's  shield."  Sim- 
ilar sentiments  were  addressed  by  the  governors  of  Vermont 
and  Delaware  to  their  legislatures. 

New-York.  On  the  3d  of  November,  Governor  Tomp- 
kins, in  his  address  to  the  legislature  of  New- York,  omits  any 
remarks  on  the  justice  or  expediency  of  the  war ;  but  observes, 
*•  that  notwithstanding  differences  of  opinion  may  exist,  upon 

*  PEopositions  of  the  British  commissioners  at  Ghent. 


I«12,  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  59 

a  variety  of  local  and  other  subjects,  yet  in  the  propriety  of 
respecting  and  yielding  our  exertions  to  support  the  national 
will,  constitutionally  expressed,  and  to  preserve  the  rights, 
character,  and  honour  of  the  American  nation  unimpaired, 
we  must  all  heartily  concur." 

Ohio,  To  the  legislature  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  Governor 
Meigs  remarks,  "  that  the  people  of  the  United  States  have 
been  driven  into  a  necessary  war,  to  preserve  their  undenia- 
ble rights.  Situate  as  is  the  state  of  Ohio,  bordered  by  hos- 
tile tribes  and  British  possessions,  new  and  weighty  duties 
are  required.  The  man  who  would  desert  a  just  cause  is 
unworthy  to  defend  it.  Let  no  man  shrink  from  his  duty. 
From  new  emergencies  new  warriors  will  arise  to  defend  the 
heritage  of  their  ancestors.  To  our  exertions,  let  us  add  a 
reliance  on  the  protecting  arm  of  the  God  of  justice." 

The  executives  of  the  states  of  New-Hampshire,  Virginia., 
North  and  South-Carolina,  Georgia,  Kentuky,  and  Tennessee, 
at  the  first  meetings  of  their  legislatures  after  the  declaration 
of  war,  expressed  the  same  sentiments  in  the  same  ener- 
getic language.  They  spoke  the  sentiments  of  a  large 
majority  of  theirconstituents,  and  the  legislatures  reciproca- 
ted them  by  acts  adapted  to  support  the  operations  of  the 
general  government. 

New-Jersey,  In  November  1812,  the  legislature  of  New- 
Jersey  resolved,  "  that  the  war  with  Great  Britain  into  which 
the  present  administration  have  plunged  the  United  States, 
was  inexpedient,  ill-timed,  and  most  dangerously  impolitic, 
sacrificing  at  once  countless  blessings,  and  incurring  all  the 
hazards,  and  losses  of  men  and  treasure,  necessarily  resulting 
from  a  contest  with  a  nation  possessing  so  many  means  to 
annoy  and  distress  us : 

"  That  as  the  war  was  improvidently  commenced,  so  has 
the  conduct  of  it  proved  wasteful  and  disastrous.  The 
administration  being  evidently  chargeable  with  the  multiplied 
disasters  which  have  attended   our  arms,  and  consigned  to 


60  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chip.  3. 

captivity  or  death  so  many  thousands  of  brave  men  without 
the  attainment  of  a  single  important  object : 

"That  we  view  with  inexpressible  concern,  the  course  of 
that  destructive  policy  which  leads  to  a  connexion  with  the 
military  despotism  of  France  ;  and  if  it  should  so  happen,  as 
our  fears  suggest,  that  a  convention  or  confederacy  with  that 
power :  cither  exists,  or  is  intended,  we  do  not  hesitate  to 
declare,  that  such  an  event  will  be  considered  by  us  more 
dangerous  than  the  war  itself,  and  as  tending  in  its  conse- 
quences to  the  dissolution  of  the  United  States  : 

"  That  so  long  as  it  shall  be  the  unhappy  fate  of  our  coun- 
try to  be  involved  in  war,  the  people  and  legislature  of  New- 
Jersey  will  perform  all  their  constitutional  duties,  embracing 
all  the  just  means  in  their  power,  to  preserve  the  union, 
defend  the  state,  and  the  honour  of  their  country: 

*'  That  it  is  requisite,  inquiry  should  be  speedily  made  into 
the  causes  of  the  calamitous  events  of  the  war,  and  that  the 
representatives  of  this  State  in  Congress,  be  requested  by  all 
constitutional  means  in  their  power  to  effect  this  important 
investigation :  And, 
**  That  a  war,  at  the  expense  of  American  blood  and  treasure, 
to  protect  British  subjects  on  the  high  seas  from  their  due 
allegiance  to  their  country,  would  be  unjust,  and  that  the  abuse 
of  this  practice  in  regard  to  American  seamen  may  be  guarded 
against  by  an  arrangement  between  the  two  governments, 
and  therefore  that  a  negotiation  for  a  treaty  of  peace  should 
be  immediately  opened." 

Connecticut,  In  Connecticut  the  quota  of  militia  required 
by  the  act  of  Congress,  of  the  10th  of  April,  were  detached 
and  held  in  readiness.  A  few  days  after  the  declaration  of 
war,  the  executive  received  a  letter  from  General  Dearborn, 
then  secretary  at  war,  requiring  four  companies  of  the  de- 
tached militia  to  be  called  into  service,  and  stationed  at  New- 
London  and  New-Haven.  This  requisition,  made  immedi- 
ately after  the  declaration  of  war,  when  no  enemy  was  on  the 
jToast,  and  several  months  must   necessarily  elapse   before 


iai2.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  61 

intelligence  of  the  event  could  arrive  in  England,  and  an 
invading  force  be  prepared  and  sent  to  America,  appeared  to 
the  governor  to  be  an  assumption  of  power  not  w^arranted  by 
the  constitution ;  he  therefore,  with  the  advice  of  the  council, 
refused  a  compliance;  and  immediately  called  a  meeting  of 
the  legislature,  to  whom  the  subject  was  referred.  After 
deliberating  several  days,  both  houses  concurred  in  sundry 
resolutions,  declaring  that  the  people  of  this  state  view  the 
war  as  unnecessary;  without  pretending,  say  they,  to  an 
exclusive  or  superior  love  of  country  to  what  is  common  to 
their  fellow-citizens,  or  arrogating  a  pre-eminence  in  those 
virtues  which  adorn  our  history,  they  yield  to  none  in  attach- 
ment to  the  Union,  or  veneration  of  the  constitution :  we 
are  not  the  apologists  of  the  wrongs  of  foreign  nations :  we 
will  never  deliberate  on  the  choice  of  a  foreign  master.  The 
aggressions  of  both  nations  ought  to  have  been  met  at  the 
outset,  by  a  system  of  defensive  protection  commensurate  to 
our  means,  and  adapted  to  the  crisis.  Other  councils  pre- 
vailed; and  that  system  of  commercial  restrictions  which 
before  had  distressed  the  people  of  Europe,  was  extended  to 
our  country ;  we  became  parties  to  the  continental  system  of 
the  French  emperor.  That  nation  of  the  two  is  selected 
which  is  capable  of  inflicting  the  greatest  injury.  In  this 
selection  we  view  with  the  deepest  soHcitude  a  tendency  to 
entangle  us  in  an  alliance  with  a  nation  which  has  subverted 
every  republic  in  Europe,  and  whose  connexions,  wherever 
formed,  have  been  fatal  to  civil  liberty.  By  the  constitution 
the  power  of  declaring  war  is  vested  in  Congress  :  they  have 
declared  war  against  Great  Britain ;  however  much  this 
measure  is  to  be  regretted,  the  general  assembly,  ever  regard- 
ful of  their  duty  to  the  general  government,  will  perform  all 
their  obhgations  resulting  from  such  an  act.  Their  resolu- 
tions, in  reference  to  ordering  out  the  militia,  further  declare, 
that  the  only  evidence  of  an  invasion  which  has  been  fur- 
nished, is  to  be  found  in  the  declaration  of  war ;  and  it  is  now 
claimed  by  the  government  of  the  United  States,  that  whea 


^  HISTORY  ©F  THE  LATE  WAR,  Chap.  3. 

war  has  been  declared  to  exist,  the  mihtia  of  the  several  states 
are  liable  to  be  called  into  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
to  enter  their  forts,  and  there  remain  upon  the  presumption 
that  the  enemy  may  invade  the  places  which  they  are 
ordered  to  garrison.  If  this  claim  is  well  founded  it  will  fol- 
low, that  there  is  no  constitutional  objection  to  the  militia's 
remaining  in  service  during  the  war.  The  war  has  been 
declared,  not  because  the  country  was  invaded  or  threatened 
with  invason,  but  to  seek  redress  for  injuries  complained  of, 
by  invasion  and  conquest  of  the  enemy's  territories.  When 
the  militia  were  demanded,  war  had  been  recently  declared, 
and  was  not  even  then  known  to  the  nation  from  whom  the 
invasion  was  apprehended.  The  invasion  then  existing  or 
expected,  must  be  presumed  to  last  as  long  as  the  war  shall 
last;  if  then  the  militia  can  be  constitutionally  required  to 
man  the  garrisons  of  the  United  States,  they  may  continue  to 
be  so  required  as  long  as  the  danger  exists,  and  to  become, 
for  all  the  purposes  of  carrying  on  the  war  within  the  United 
States,  standing  armies.  And  a  declaration  of  war  made  by 
the  administration,  and  announced  to  the  governors,  will  sub- 
stantially convert  the  militia  into  such  armies.  The  report 
concludes  by  stating,  that  should  there  be  an  actual  invasion 
of  any  portion  of  our  territory,  or  should  we  be  threatened  with 
invasion,  or  attack  from  any  enemies,  the  militia  will  always 
be  prompt  and  zealous  to  defend  their  country.  The  gov- 
ernment of  this  state,  as  it  ever  has  been,  so  it  always  will  be, 
ready  to  comply  with  all  the  constitutional  requisitions  of  the 
general  government.  Faithful  to  itself  and  posterity,  it  will 
be  faithful  to  the  United  States.  The  conduct  of  the  gov- 
ernor in  regard  to  the  militia  has  been  regulated  by  a  strict 
regard  to  the  rights  and  interests  of  this  state,  as  well  as  to  the 
constitution  of  the  United  States.  * 
f  Massachusetts,  Four  days  after  the  declaration  of  war, 
/     Governor  Strong  received  a  requisition  from  General  Dear- 

*  Resolutions  of  the  Connecticut  Legislatura,  August  1812. 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  63 

bom  to  order  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  forty-one 
( companies  of  militia  for  the  defence  of  the  ports  and  harbours 
I  of  Massachusetts,  and  the  harbour  of  Newport  in  Rhode- 
( Island.  The  governor,  with  the  advice  of  his  council,  refused 
'a  compliance  with  this  requisition,  and  communicated  his 
views  upon  the  subject  to  the  executives  of  Connecticut  and 
Rhode-Island.  In  support  of  his  opinion  the  governor 
remarks,  that  the  act  of  Congress,  authorizing  a  detachment 
of  one  hundred  thousand  militia,  enjoins  the  President  to  call 
into  actual  service  any  part  or  the  whole  of  said  detachment 
in  all  the  exigencies  provided  by  the  constitution.  From  the 
constitution  and  this  act  of  Congress  the  President  derives 
all  his  authority  to  call  the  militia  of  the  states  into  actual 
service ;  but  there  was  no  suggestion  from  any  communica- 
tion he  had  received,  that  either  Massachusetts  or  Rhode- 
Island  was  invaded  or  in  imminent  danger  of  invasion.  Gen- 
eral Dearborn  seems  plainly  to  have  supposed  that  he  was 
authorized  by  virtue  of  the  power  given  him  by  the  President, 
to  require  any  part  or  the  whole  of  the  detached  militia  to  be 
called  out,  and  marched  to  such  places  in  this  and  other 
states  as  he  may  think  proper.  If  this  construction  of  the 
constitution  be  correct,  the  President  and  Congress  will  be 
able  at  any  time,  by  declaring  war,  to  call  the  whole  militia  of 
the  United  States  into  actual  service,  march  them  to  such 
places  as  they  think  proper,  and  retain  them  in  service  as  long 
as  the  war  shall  continue. 

Opinion  of  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  The  consti- 
tution of  Massachusetts  authorizes  the  executive  to  require 
the  opinion  of  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  upon  any 
important  legal  or  constitutional  questions.  On  this  occa- 
sion the  governor  submitted  two  questions  to  the  judges  of 
that  court.  1st.  Whether  the  commanders  in  chief  of  the 
militia  of  the  several  states  have  a  right  to  determine  whether 
any  of  the  exigencies  contemplated  by  the  constitution  of  the 
United  States  exist,  so  as  to  require  them  to  place  the  mihtia, 
or  any  part  of  it,  in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  at  the 


04  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  CiAf.  3. 

request  of  the  President,  to  be  commanded  by  him  pursuant 
to  acts  of  Congress.  2^.  Whether  when  either  of  the  exi- 
gencies exist  authorizing  the  employment  of  the  mihtia  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  they  can  be  lawfully  commanded 
by  any  officers  but  of  the  militia,  except  by  the  President  of 
the  United  States. 

In  answer  to  these  questions,  Judges  Parsons,  Sewal,  and 
Parker,  remark,  after  reciting  the  clauses  of  the  constitution 
relating  to  the  subject,  that  no  power  is  given  either  to  the 
President  or  Congress,  to  determine  that  either  of  the  exigen- 
cies does  in  fact  exist;  as  this  power  is  not  delegated  to  the 
United  States  by  the  constitution,  nor  prohibited  to  the  states, 
it  is  reserved  to  the  states  respectively,  and  from  the  nature 
of  the  power,  must  be  exercised  by  those  with  whom  the 
states  have  intrusted  the  chief  command  of  the  militia.  It  is 
the  duty  of  the  commanders  to  execute  this  important  trust 
agreeably  to  the  laws  of  their  several  states,  witliout  reference 
to  the  laws  or  officers  of  the  United  States,  in  all  cases  except 
those  specially  provided  by  the  federal  constitution.  They 
must  therefore  determine  when  either  of  the  special  cases 
exist,  obliging  them  to  relinquish  this  trust,  and  to  render 
themselves  and  the  militia  subject  to  the  command  of  the 
President. 

In  answer  to  the  second  question,  they  say  that  they  know 
of  no  constitutional  provision  authorizing  any  officer  of  the 
army  of  the  United  States  to  command  the  militia,  or  any  of- 
ficer of  the  militia  to  command  the  army  of  the  United  States. 
The  union  of  the  militia  in  the  actual  service  of  the  United 
States,  with  the  troops  of  the  United  States,  seems  to  be  a 
case  not  provided  for  or  contemplated  in  the  constitution. 
Congress  may  provide  laws  for  the  government  of  the  militia 
when  in  actual  service,  but  to  extend  this  power  to  the  placing 
them  under  the  command  of  an  officer  not  of  the  militia,  ex- 
cept the  President  would  render  nugatory  the  provision  of  the 
constitution,  that  the  militia  are  to  have  officers  appointed  by 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  6d 

the  states.*  These  views  of  the  executive,  supported  by  the 
judiciary,  were  approved  by  the  legislature  of  Massachu- 
setts. 

Rhode-Island,  The  same  course  of  proceedings  was  adopt- 
ed by  the  constituted  authorities  of  Rhode-Island.  Governor 
Jones,  in  his  address  to  the  legislature,  states,  that  the  declara- 
tion of  war  had  placed  that  state  in  a  very  perilous  situation, 
having  an  extensive  sea-coast  accessible  to  a  naval  force.  The 
principal  part  of  the  United  States  troops,  that  were  thought 
necessary  in  time  of  peace  have  been  withdrawn  from  the 
state,  and  the  forts  and  batteries  are  very  illj^  supplied  with 
the  munitions  of  war. 

Maryland,  In  the  house  of  delegates  in  the  state  of  Mary- 
land, resolutions  were  passed,  41  yeas,  21  nays,  declaring, 
"that  a  defensive  war  ought  to  be  prosecuted  and  sustained 
at  all  hazards,  and  for  this  that  they  were  prepared  at  all  times 
to  undergo  any  privations,  and  to  devote  their  lives  and  for- 
tunes to  the  public  service  : 

'^  That  offensive  war  is  incompatible  with  the  principles  of 
republicanism,  subversive  of  the  ends  of  all  just  government, 
and  repugnant  to  the  best  interests  of  the  United  States : 

"  That  the  declaration  of  war  against  Great  Britain  by  a 
small  majority  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  was  un- 
wise and  impolitic,  and  if  unsuccessful,  the  grand  object  con- 
tended for  must  be  abandoned  : 

"That  the  conduct  of  the  governors  of  Massachusetts, 
Connecticut,  and  Rhode-Island,  respecting  the  quota  of  mili- 
tia demanded  of  them,  was  constitutional,  and  merited  their 
decided  approbation  : 

"  That  a  navy  is  the  kind  of  national  defence  least  danger- 
ous to  liberty,  and  most  compatible  with  the  genius,  habits, 
and  interests  of  the  people  of  the  United  States ;  and  while 
they  view  with  dehght  and  admiration,  the  heroism  of  Hull,  De- 
catur, and  Jones,  and  their  gallant  associates,  they  are  furnish- 

*  Massachusetts  reports,  yol.  8. 
9 


66  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE*  WAR.  Cha?.  3 

cd  with  additional  motives  for  approbating  the  policy  of  aug- 
menting the  naval  forces  of  the  country." 

In  the  senate,  resolutions  of  an  opposite  character  were 
passed,  approving  the  war  and  the  conduct  of  the  government, 
and  pledging  themselves  for  its  support. 

Pennsylvania,  Both  houses  of  the  legislature  of  Pennsyl- 
vania resolved, 

"  That  the  declaration  of  war  was  the  result  of  solemn 
delileration,  sound  wisdom,  and  imperious  necessity  : 

"  That  they  contemplate  with  painful  regret  the  refusal  of 
the  executive  authorities  of  some  of  the  states  to  furnish,  on 
the  President's  demand,  their  quota  of  militia  for  the  defence 
of  the  sea-coast,  and  with  confidence  expect  from  the  national 
legislature  a  prompt  attention  to  this  alarming  and  unexpected 
occurrence." 

Militia  Question.     The  constitutional  questions  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  militia,  now  brought  into  view  and  at  issue,  between 
the  general  government  and  the  states  of  Massachusetts,  Con- 
necticut, and  Rhode-Island,  were  of  vital  importance.    Without 
an  efficient  army,  the  safety  of  the  nation  rested  at  this  period 
on  the  militia.     If  they  were  to  be  considered  as  eighteen  dis- 
tinct independent  bodies  of  troops  acting  without  concert,  and 
subject  to  be  called  into  service  only  when  the  executives  of 
the  several  states  deemed  it  necessary,  and  their  operations 
not  subject  to  the  direction  of  one  head,  it  was  evident  their 
services  could  be  of  very  little  use  in  defending  the  country. 
War  having  been  declared,  though  against  the  opinion  of  a 
considerable   minority,  it  was   expected  that   that  minority 
would  have  so  far  acquiesced  as  to  have  performed  all  their 
constitutional  obligations.     The  social  compact  requires  this 
from  all  the  citizens  of  the  state.     The  principal   object  of 
forming  the  national  constitution  was  the  defence  of  the  coun- 
try ;  and  its  physical  force  was  placed  in   the  hands  of  the 
general  government  for  that  purpose.     How  then  could  it  be 
doubted  but  that  the  power  of  judging  when  danger  existed 
which  required  the  calling  forth  of  this  force,  and  of  directing 


1«12.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  $7 

its  operations,  was  lodged  in  the  same  hands  ?  The  national 
authorities  viewed  the  subject  with  deep  interest.  The  Pres- 
ident, in  his  message  to  Congress  of  the  4th  of  November, 
1812,  on  this  subject,  remarks,  that  among  the  incidents  to  the 
measures  of  the  war,  he  is  constrained  to  advert  to  the  refusal 
of  the  governors  of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  to  fur- 
nish the  required  detachments  of  militia  for  the  defence  of 
the  maritime  frontier.  The  refusal  was  founded  upon  a 
novel  and  and  unfortunate  exposition  of  the  constitution  re- 
lating to  the  mihtia.  It  is  obvious,  that  if  the  authority  of  the 
United  States  to  call  into  service  and  command  the  militia  for 
the  public  defence,  can  be  frustrated  even  in  a  state  of  de- 
clared war,  and  of  course  under  apprehensions  of  invasion 
preceding  war,  they  are  not  one  nation  for  the  purpose  most 
of  all  requiring  it.  The  public  safety  will  then  have  no  other 
resource  than  in  those  large  and  permanent  military  establish- 
ments, which  are  forbidden  by  the  principles  of  our  free 
government,  and  against  the  necessity  of  which  the  militia 
w-ere  meant  to  be  a  constitutional  bulwark. 

Monroe's  Views,  In  a  subsequent  communication  of  the 
acting  secretary  of  war,  to  a  committee  of  the  senate  in 
answer  to  their  inquiries  upon  the  subject,  Mr.  Monroe  fully 
and  ably  explained  the  views  of  the  executive.  The  power 
which  is  given  to  Congress,  he  observes,  by  the  people  of  the 
United  States,  to  provide  for  calling  forth  the  militia  for  the 
purposes  specified  in  ib^^  constitution,  is  unconditional.  It  is 
a  complete  power  vested  in  the  national  government,  extend- 
ing to  all  these  purposes.  If  it  was  dependent  on  the  assent 
of  the  executives  of  the  individual  states  it  might  be  entirely 
frustrated.  The  character  of  the  government  would  undergo 
an  entire  and  radical  change.  The  state  executives  might 
deny  that  the  case  had  occurred  which  justified  the  call,  and 
withhold  the  militia  from  the  service  of  the  general  govern- 
ment. It  was  obviously  the  intention  of  the  framers  of  the 
constitution,  that  these  powers  vested  in  the  general  govern- 
ment should  be  independent  of  the  state  authorities,  and  ade- 


6S  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  3. 

quale  to  the  ends  proposed.  Terms  more  comprehensive 
than  those  which  have  been  used  cannot  well  be  conceived. 
Congress  have  a  right  to  provide  for  calling  forth  the  militia  to 
repel  invasion.  This  right,  by  fair  construction,  is  an  exem- 
plification of  the  power  over  the  militia,  to  enable  the  general 
government  to  prosecute  the  war  with  effect,  and  not  the 
limitations  of  it  by  strict  construction  to  the  special  case  of  a 
descent  of  the  enemy  on  any  particular  part  of  the  territory. 
War  exists.  The  enemy  is  powerful ;  his  preparations  are 
extensive;  we  may  expect  his  attacks  in  many  quarters. 
Shall  we  remain  inactive  spectators  of  the  danger  which  sur- 
round us,  without  making  the  arrangements  suggested  by  as 
ordinary  foresight  for  our  defence?  A  regular  army,  in  suffi- 
cient extent,  does  not  exist.  The  militia  is  the  principal 
resource.  Is  it  possible  that  a  free  people  could  thus  inten- 
tionally trammel  a  gofvernment  which  they  had  created  for 
the  purpose  of  sustaining  them  in  their  just  rank,  and  in  the 
enjoyment  of  all  their  rights  as  a  nation  against  the  encroach- 
ments of  other  powers,  more  especially  just  after  they  had 
experienced  that  reliance  could  not  be  placed  on  the  states 
individually,  and  that  without  a  general  government,  thus 
endowed,  their  best  interests  would  be  sacrificed,  and  even  their 
independence  rendered  insecure.  A  necessary  consequence 
of  so  complete  and  absolute  a  restraint  on  the  power  of  the 
general  government  over  the  militia,  would  be  to  force  the 
United  States  to  resort  to  standing  armies  for  all  national 
purposes.  A  policy  so  absurd,  and  fraught  with  mischief, 
ought  not  to  be  imputed  to  a  free  people  in  this  enlightened 
age.  Such  a  construction  of  the  constitution  is  repugnant  to 
the  highest  interests  of  the  people,  to  the  unequivocal  inten- 
tion of  its  framers,  and  to  the  just  and  obvious  import  of  the 
instrument  itself.  If  any  doubt  could  exist  on  this  subject  on 
general  principles,  it  is  taken  away  by  that  clause  in  the  con- 
stitution which  provides,  that  Congress  shall  have  power  to 
pass  all  laws  necessary  and  proper  for  carrying  into  execu- 
tion the  powers  vested  in   the  general  government.     The 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  69 

secretary  then  proceeds  to  show,  by  historical  facts,  that  such 
has  been  the  construction  of  the  constitution  by  the  legislative 
and  executive  authorities,  and  acquiesced  in  by  the  states 
from  its  commencement. 

Equally  unfounded,  he  observes,  is  the  other  objection  of 
the  executives,  that  when  the  militia  are  called  into  the  ser- 
vice of  the  United  States,  no  officer  of  the  regular  army  or 
other  person  not  a  militia  officer,  except  the  President  of  the 
United  States  in  person,  has  a  right  to  command  them.  When 
the  mihtia  are  called  into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  all 
state  authority  over  them  ceases.  They  constitute  a  part  of 
the  national  force,  and  are  supported  and  paid  by  the  nation  ; 
and  their  operations  directed  by  the  national  government. 
The  circumstance  that  the  officers  of  the  militia  are  appointed 
by,  and  trained  under  the  authority  of,  the  state,  has  no  effect 
on  the  character  and  duties  of  the  militia  when  called  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States.  When  thus  called  out,  a  proper 
proportion  of  mihtia  officers  are  called  with  them;  a  colonel 
to  a  regiment,  and  a  brigadier  to  a  brigade,  and  a  major  gen- 
eral to  a  division  :  the  whole  to  be  received  into  the  pay  and 
service  of  the  United  States,  and  subject  in  their  general  ope- 
rations to  the  direction  of  such  officers  as  the  President  shall 
appoint.  That  the  President  alone  has  a  right  to  command 
the  militia  in  person,  and  that  no  officer  of  the  regular  army 
in  his  absence  can  take  the  command,  is  a  construction  for 
which  the  constitution  furnishes  no  pretext.  Under  the  com- 
mander, all  the  officers  of  every  species  of  service,  regular 
and  militia,  acting  together,  take  rank  by  common  consent  and 
in  perfect  harmony,  according  to  one  of  the  articles  of  war, 
which  provides  that  the  officers  of  the  regular  army  shall  take 
rank  of  those  of  the  militia  of  the  same  grade,  without  regard 
to  the  dates  of  their  commission,  and  officers  of  the  militia  of 
every  grade  take  rank  of  all  officers  of  the  regular  army  of 
inferior  grade.  When  these  troops  serve  together,  they  con- 
stitute one  national  force.  The  idea  advanced  by  the  hon- 
ourable judges  of  Massachusetts,  the  secretary  observes,  that 


70  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  3. 

where  the  regular  troops  and  militia  act  together  under  the 
command  of  the  President,  and  he  withdraws,  there  can  be  no 
chief  commander  over  the  whole,  but  are  to  be  considered  as 
independent,  allied  forces,  pushes  the  doctrine  of  state  rights 
much  farther  than  it  was  ever  known  to  be  carried  before.  It 
is  only  in  the  case  of  powers  who  are  completely  independent 
of  each  other,  and  who  maintain  armies,  and  prosecute  war 
against  a  common  enemy,  for  distinct  objects,  that  this  doc- 
trine can  apply.  It  does  not  apply  to  the  case  of  one  inde- 
pendent power,  who  takes  into  its  service  the  troops  of 
another ;  for  then  the  command  is  always  at  the  disposal  of 
the  power  making  war,  and  employing  such  troops.  Much 
less  does  it  apply  to  the  case  where  there  is  but  one  power 
and  one  government ;  and  the  troops,  whether  regulars  or 
militia,  constitute  but  one  people,  and  are,  in  fact,  country- 
men, brethren,  and  friends.  The  judicious  selection  of  the 
chief  commander  for  any  important  station  is  an  object  of 
high  interest  to  the  nation.  Success  often  depends  upon  it; 
and  it  is  wisely  vested  in  the  President  by  the  powers  given 
him  as  chief  executive  of  the  United  States.*  The  legislative 
and  executive  authorities  of  the  general  government,  and 
of  all  the  states  except  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and 
Rhode-Island,  adopted  the  principles  contained  in  the  secre- 
tary's report  respecting  the  militia,  and  steadily  adhered  to 
them  through  the  war. 

Proceedings  in  Canada,  The  inhabitants  of  the  Canadas, 
many  of  whom  were  emigrants  from  the  United  States,  and 
were  still  connected  by  ties  of  affection,  business,  and  blood, 
with  their  citizens,  observed  with  anxiety  the  progress  of  the 
dispute  between  their  parent  country  and  the  American  gov- 
ernment-, and  when  they  saw  it  terminate  in  a  war,  the 
avowed  object  of  which  was  the  oonquest  of  their  country, 
they  were  filled  with  the  most  alarming  apprehensions.  The 
executive  authorities  of  the  provinces,  Britons  by  birth,  and 

*  Report  of  Secr«t8ury  of  War  to  Committee  of  Senate. 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR. 

deriving  their  powers  from  the  crown,  adopted  vrgorous 
measures  to  meet  the  crisis,  and  the  great  body  of  the  inhab- 
itants seconded  their  efforts. 

Immediately  on  the  declaration  of  war,  the  governor  gene- 
ral of  the  Canadas  published  the  following  regulations  rela- 
tive to  American  citizens  resident  in  the  British  colonies.  All 
who  shall  refuse  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  to  bear 
arms,  must  leave  the  country,  unless  they  obtain  the  governor'5 
permission  to  remain  for  a  limited  time  to  settle  their  affairs. 

All  American  citizens  having  visible  property  and  of  good 
character,  who  will  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  bearing  arms  against  the  United  States,  shall  be 
allowed  to  remain,  subject  to  leave  the  province  whenever  the 
government  shall  deem  it  necessary. 

All  American  subjects  being  immediate  grantees  of  the 
crown  shall  be  allowed  to  remain,  but  must  take  the  general 
oath  of  allegiance,  and  consequently  be  subject  to  bear  arms. 

Any  American  subject  of  good  character  may,  if  approved 
by,  a  committee  of  the  executive  council,  be  allowed  to 
remain,  on  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance  before  the  police 
magistrate,  and  consenting  to  bear  arms.  Soon  afterwards 
another  order  was  pubhshed,  directing  all  American  citizens 
who  had  not  or  should  not  be  admitted  to  take  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance and  to  bear  arms,  to  depart  the  province  before  the 
15th  of  the  following  October,  and  all  who  should  be  found 
within  the  province  after  that  time,  without  having  taken  such 
oath,  were  to  be  treated  as  ^prisoners  of  war ;  and  no  per- 
sons whatever  were  allowed  to  go  from  the  province  to  the 
United  States,  without  special  license  from  the  governor. 

On  receiving  intelligence  of  the  declaration  of  war,  Gene- 
ral Brock,  governor  of  Upper  Canada,  assembled  the  legis- 
lature of  that  province  on  the  22d  of  July,  and  addressed 
them,  stating  their  province  was  invaded  by  an  enemy,  whose 

*  Governor  Prevost's  orders. 


72  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  3. 

avowed  object  was  its  entire  conquest.  That  the  voice  of 
loyality,  as  well  as  interest,  called  aloud  upon  every  person 
tor  defend  his  country.  That  the  militia  had  obeyed  that 
voice,  and  evinced  by  the  promptitude  and  loyality  of  their 
conduct,  that  they  were  worthy  of  the  king  whom  they  serve, 
and  the  constitution  they  enjoy ;  and  recommending  a  revi- 
sion of  the  militia  laws,  and  the  passing  of  acts  for  the  punish- 
ment of  spies  and  traitors. 

The  legislature  zealously  seconded  the  views  of  the  gov- 
ernor, and  at  the  close  of  the  session  published  an  address 
td  their  constituents,  observing  that  the  declaration  of  war 
when  first  announced,  appeared  to  be  an  act  of  such  astonish- 
ing-folly and  desperation  as  to  be  altogether  incredible.  It  not 
only  excited  the  greatest  surprise  among  the  inhabitants  of 
this  province,  but  also  among  a  great  majority  of  our  enemies. 
That  a  government  professing  to  be  the  friend  of  man,  and 
the  great  supporter  of  his  liberty  and  independence,  should 
light  up  the  torch  of  war  against  the  only  nation  that  stands 
between  itself  and  destruction,  exhibited  a  degree  of  infatua- 
tion and  madness  altogether  incomprehensible.  This,  war  on 
the  part  of  the  United  States,  includes  an  alliance  with  the 
French  usurper,  whose  dreadful  policy  has  destroyed  all  that 
is  great  and  good,  venerable  and  holy,  on  the  continent  of 
Europe.  With  joy  we  behold  the  spirit  of  loyality  burst 
forth  in  all  its  ancient  splendour.  The  mihtia,  in  all  parts, 
of  the  province,  have  volunteered  their  services  with  ac- 
clamation, and  displayed  a  degree  of  energy  worthy  of 
the  British  name.  Our  enemies  have  indeed  boasted  that 
they  can  subdue  the  country  by  proclamation  ;  but  it  is  our 
part  to  prove  to  them,  that  they  are  mistaken.  When  men  are 
called  upon  to  defend  every  thing  they  hold  precious,  their 
wives  and  children,  their  friends  and  possessions,  they 
will  not  be  easily  frightened  by  menaces,  or  conquered  by 
force.  The  population  are  decidedly  hostile,  and  the  few 
who  may  be  otherwise  inclined,  will  find  it  their  safety  and 
interest  to  be  faithful.     If  there  be  any  person  so  base  and 


181^.  HISTOHY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  t3 

degenerate  as  to  join  the  eneidy,  after  having  taken  the  oath 
of  allegiance,  he  forfeits  not  only  his  property,  but  his  life^ 
The  British  government  never  will  make  peace  with  the 
American  states  without  a  full  and  ample  indemnification,  for 
all  the  depredations  committed  in  this  country.  Nor  will  we 
permit  a  single  traitor  ever  to  return.  Let  those  who  have 
come  from  the  neighbouring  states  consider  this  well,  and 
assure  themselves  that  as  we  are  eager  to  reward  loyality,  so 
we  shall  not  be  slow  to  punish  treachery.* 

British  Manifesto.  On  the  10th  of  January,  1813,  the 
prince  regent  published  a  declaration,  justifying  the  conduct 
of  Great  Britain  towards  the  United  States.  The  manifesto 
attempts  to  prove  the  French  to  be  the  first  aggressors  on 
neutral  rights,  and  that  the  British  orders  in  council  are  justi- 
fiable on  the  principles  of  retaliation :  that  the  French 
decrees  have  never  been  repealed  ;  that  the  course  the  Amer- 
ican government  has  pursued  towards  the  belligerents,  has 
been  that  of  hostility  towards  Great  Britain,  and  partiality 
towards  France  :  that  America  has  in  every  instance  seconded 
the  views,  and  favoured  the  projects  of  the  French  govern- 
ment against  England.  The  right  of  impressment,  the  man- 
ifesto maintains,  results  necessarily  from  the  doctrine  of  natu- 
ral allegiance  :  that  no  sufficient  substitute  has  been  offered  on 
the  part  of  America,  which  should  secure  to  the  British  the 
services  of  her  native  subjects  :  that  this  practice  cannot  be 
dispensed  with,  without  exposing  to  danger  the  foundation  of 
their  maritime  strength. 

"The  realoi-igin  of  the  present  contest,"  the  manifesto  con^ 
eludes,  "  is  to  be  found  in  the  spirit  which  has  long  unhappily 
actuated  the  councils  of  the  United  States ;  their  marked 
partiality  in  palliating  and  assisting  the  aggressive  tyranny  of 
France,  their  systematic  endeavours  to  inflame  their  people? 
against  the  defensive  means  of  Great  Britain,  their  ungene- 
rous conduct  towards  Spain,  the  intimate  ally  oi  Great  Britain, 


*  Address  of  the  leiefislature  of  Upper  Cattada  to  their  constituent*. 

10 


\ 


^  HISTORY  OF  THE  I^ATE  WAR.  CaAP.  3. 

and  their  unworthy  desertion  of  the  cause  of  other  neutral 
nations.  It  is  through  the  prevalence  of  such  councils  that 
America  has  been  associated  in  policy  with  France,  and  com- 
mitted in  war  against  Great  Britain.  And  under  what  con- 
duct, on  the  part  of  France,  has  the  government  of  the  United 
States  lent  itself  to  the  enemy  ?  The  contemptuous  violation 
of  the  commercial  treaty  of  1800;  the  treacherous  seizure 
of  American  vessels  and  cargoes  in  all  harbours  subject  to 
the  control  of  the  French  arms ;  the  tyrannical  principles  of 
(he  Berlin  and  Milan  decrees,  and  the  confiscations  under 
them ;  the  subsequent  condemnation  under  the  Rambouillet 
decree  antedated  or  concealed  to  render  it  more  effectual ;  the 
French  commercial  regulations  which  render  the  traffic  of  the 
United  States  with  France  almost  illusory;  the  burning  of 
their  merchant  ships  at  sea  long  after  the  repeal  of  the  French 
decrees.  All  these  acts  of  violence  on  the  part  of  France, 
produce  from  the  government  of  the  Unked  States  only  such 
complaints  as  end  in  acquiescence  and  submission,  or  are 
accompanied  by  suggestions  for  enabling  France  to  give  the 
semblance  of  a  legal  form  to  her  usurpations,  by  converting 
them  into  mujncipal  regulations.  This  disposition  of  the  gov^- 
ernment  of  the  United  States,  this  complete  subserviency  to 
the  ruler  of  France,  this  hostile  temper  towards  Great  Britain, 
are  evident  in  almost  every  page  of  the  official  correspon- 
dence of  the  American  with  the  French  government.  Against 
this  course  of  conduct,  the  real  cause  of  the  present  war,  the 
prince  regent  solemnly  protests.  While  contending  against 
France,  in  defence  not  only  of  the  liberties  of  Great  Britain, 
but  of  the  world,  his  royal  highness  was  entitled  to  look  out 
for  a  far  difierent  result.  From  their  common  origin,  from  their 
common  interests,  and  from  their  professed  principles  of  free- 
dom and  independence,  the  United  States  were  the  last  power 
in  which  Great  Britain  could  have  expected  to  find  a  willing 
instrument  and  abettor  of  French  tyranny.  Disappointed  in 
this,  his  just  expectation,  the  prince  regent  will  still  pursue  the 
policy  which  the  British  government  has  so  long  and  invapia- 


1512.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  75 

biy  maintained,  in  repelling  injustice,  and  supporting  the  gen- 
eral rights  of  nations.  And  under  the  favour  of  Providence, 
relying  on  the  justice  of  his  cause,  and  the  tried  loyality  and 
firmness  of  the  British  nation,  his  royal  highness  confidently 
looks  forward  to  a  successful  issue  of  the  contest  in  which  he 
has  thus  been  impelled  most  reluctantly  to  engage."* 

With  these  views  of  their  respective   claims,  the   parties 
staked  their  rights  on  the  issue  of  the  contest. 

*  Prince  regent's  manifesto,  January  1813, 


CHAPTER  IV. 

I>laa  of  Military  Operations  for  the  Campaign  of  1812.— General  Hull 
appointed  to  the  Command  of  the  Northern  Army. — Rendezvous  atUr- 
banna. — Their  March  to  the  Rapids  of  the  Miami. — A  Sloop,  with  Gen. 
Hull's  Baggage  and  Papers  and  the  Hospital  Stores,  taken  at  Maiden. 
— Arrival  of  the  Army  at  Detroit. — Invasion  of  Canada. — Gen.  HulPt 
Proclamation. — Head-Quarters  at  Sandwich. — Col.  M* Arthur's  Expe- 
dition to  the  Thames. — Col.  Cass  proceeds  to  the  River  Auxlanards.— 
Main  Body  return  to  Detroit. — Capt.  Brush  arrives  at  the  River  Ra- 
sin  with  Supplies. — Major  Vanhom  detached  to  escort  him. — Surpriz- 
ed by  an  Ambuscade  and  defeated. — Col.  Miller  detached  to  the  same 

place, — Battle  of  Maguago. — Col.  Miller  returns Cols.  M'Arther 

and  Cass  detacjiied  to  the  same  place;  ordered  to  return. — General 
Brock's  Address  to  the  Canadians. — Arrives  with  Reinforcements  at 
Maiden. — Bombards  the  Fort  from  the  opposite  Bank. — Crosses  the 
River  and  advances  to  assault  the  Fort. — Gen.  Hull  capitulates.— 
American  Forces  and  Property  taken. — British  Forces. — Court  Mar- 
tial ordered. — Charges  and  Specifications  against  Gen.  Hull. — His 
Defence. — Sentence  of  the  Court. 

Plan  of  the  Campaign  o/*  1 8 1 2.  The  plan  of  military  ope- 
rations at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  on  the  part  of  the. 
United  States,  was  to  garrison  and  defend  the  sea-board  prin- 
cipally by  occasional  calls  of  the  neighbouring  militia,  aided 
by  a  few  regular  troops,  the  whole  to  be  under  the  command 
of  generals  of  the  regular  army,  stationed  at  the  most  import 
tant  points.  With  the  remaining  regular  forces,  together  with 
such  volunteers  as  could  be  procured,  and  the  militia,  to  at? 
tack  the  Bristish  posts  in  Upper  Canada,  and  subdue  them. 
This  province  borders  on  the  United  States  from  the  neigh* 
bourhood  of  Montreal  westerly  to  an  indefinite  extent,  and  is 
separated  from  them  by  the  waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and 
the  lakes,  to  the  western  extremity  of  the  Lake  of  the  Woods ; 
along  the  shores  of  the  lakes,  and  banks  of  the  rivers,  com- 


78  mSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  iluAv.  4. 

municating  with  them,  is  a  fine  tract  of  country,  containing  one 
hundred  thousand  inhabitants,  principally  emigrants  from  the 
United  States,  who  have  removed  there  since  the  war  of  the 
revolution.  Northerly  and  westerly  of*  these  settlements  is 
an  immense  wilderness  thinly  inhabited  by  Indians.  The 
settlement  of  white  inhabitants  extends  westward  as  far  as 
the  Detroit  river,  which  conveys  the  waters  of  lake  Huron  to 
lake  Erie.  At  the  mouth  of  this  river  is  the  villiage  of  Am- 
herstburgh,  furnishing  one  of  the  best  harbours  on  the  lake ; 
and  the  military  post  of  Maiden,  from  whence  the  Indians  of 
the  north  and  west  are  supplied  with  goods,  arms,  and  ammu- 
nition, and  encouraged  in  acts  of  hostihty  against  the  frontier 
inhabitants  of  the  United  States.  To  break  up  this  establish- 
ment, and  subdue  the  province,  was  the  first  object  of  the 
military  operations  on  the  Canada  border.  It  was  confidently 
expected  that  the  inhabitants  needed  only  a  demonstration  of 
a  respectable  military  force,  and  an  assurance  of  protection, 
to  induce  them  to  revolt  from  the  British,  and  join  the  Ameri- 
can standard.  This  province  being  conquered,  it  was  de- 
signed to  push  eastward  to  Montreal. 

HulPs  Expedition.  With  these  views,  William  Hull,  gov- 
ernor of  the  Michigan  territory  had  been  appointed  a  briga- 
dier general,  and  on  the  25th  of  May  took  command  of  the 
north-western  troops  destined  for  the  operations  on  Canada, 
in  the  beginning  of  June  he  rendezvoused  at  Urbanna,  in  the 
state  of  Ohio.  Preparatory  to  his  march  to  Detroit,  his  force 
consisted  of  five  hundred  regulars,  and  twelve  hundred  Ohio 
volunteers,  under  the  command  of  Cols.  M' Arthur  and  Cass. 
The  distance  from  Urbanna  to  Detroit  is  one  hundred  and 
ninety  miles,  the  greater  part  of  the  way  through  a  trackless 
wilderness,  uninhabited  except  by  a  few  hostile  Indians. 
Their  rout  lay  in  a  north-westerly  direction  across  the  high- 
lands which  divide  the  waters  of  lake  Erie  from  the  Ohio,  and 
along  the  Miami  of  the  lake.  The  morasses  and  swamps 
that  lay  in  their  rout,  and  the  general  ruggedness  of  the  way, 
presented  many  difficulties.     But  the  ardour  of  fresh  troops 


mM'  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR>  i^ 

eager  for  conquest,  overcame  them,  and  without  any  serious 
losses  they  arrived  on  the  last  of  June  at  the  rapids  of  the 
Miami,  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  from 
Urbanna.  The  supplies  for  the  army  were  to  be  transported 
the  greater  part  of  this  distance  on  pack-horses  subject  to  the 
attacks  of  the  neighbouring  savages.  From  Miami  to  Detroit 
is  navigable  water ;  here  the  army  rested  several  days,  and 
General  Hull  procured  a  sloop  and  a  boat,  and  put  his  bag- 
gage, containing  his  commission  and  instructions  from  the  war 
depSirtment,  with  the  baggage  of  most  of  the  officers  and  the 
hospital  stores  on  board  the  sloop,  and  the  sick  on  board  the 
boat  for  Detroit.  The  ship  channel  being  on  the  Canada 
side,  the  sloop  necessarily  passed  under  the  guns  of  Maiden, 
and  being  unarmed,  was  taken  without  resistance*  This  cap- 
ture was  a  serious  loss  to  the  Americans,  as  the  hospital  stores 
could  not  be  seasonably  supplied,  and  of  important  benefit  to 
the  British,  as  it  informed  them  of  the  strength,  views,  and 
objects  of  their  enemy.  The  boat  kept  under  the  western 
shore  and  arrived  in  safety.  The  aniiy  now  disencumbered 
of  their  sick  and  baggage,  proceeded  along  the  margin  of 
the  lake  and  river  to  Detroit,  a  distance  of  seventy  miles. 

Detroit,  This  is  an  ancient  French  settlement,  on  the  west 
bank  of  Detroit  river,  eighteen  miles  from  its  entrance 
into  lake  Erie,  and  nine  from  the  out-let  of  lake  St.  Clair* 
It  contains  about  one  thousand  inhabitants  and  is  the  capital 
of  the  Michigan  territory,  the  whole  of  which  contains  about 
six  thousand  French  and  American  settlers,  along  the  banks 
of  the  Detroit,  Huron,  and  Raisin  rivers,  and  along  the  shores 
of  lakes  Erie  and  Huron.  Detroit  is  one  of  the  most  ancient 
military  posts  in  the  western  country.  It  was  early  establish- 
ed by  the  French  as  a  check  upon  the  surrounding  Indians^ 
and  had  been  repaired  and  strengthened  by  the  Americans. 
The  military  posts  of  Mackinaw  and  fort  Dearborne  were 
also  within  the  limits  of  Gen.  Hull's  command. 

Mackinaw.  The  post  of  Mackinaw  is  situated  upon  the 
island  of  Michiliraackinac  in  the  sti-aits  between  lake  Hu- 


80  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Ghap.  4. 

ron  and  Michigan,  and  commands  that  passage.  On  this  island 
is  the  largest  settlement  in  the  Michigan  territory,  except  De- 
troit. On  the  17th  of  July  the  garrison  was  invested  by  a 
party  of  Canadians  and  Indians,  consisting  of  one  thousand 
men  from  St.  Josephs,  a  British  post  at  the  entrance  of  lake 
Superior.  The  inhabitants  had  taken  refuge  in  the  fort  at 
the  appearance  of  the  enemy.  The  garrison  at  this  time 
consisted  only  of  a  company  of  sixty  men,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Capt.  Hanks  ;  they  had  received  no  reinforcements, 
nor  any  information  of  the  declaration  of  war,  and  were 
wholly  unprepared  to  resist  such  a  force.  They  surrendered 
on  a  '"stipulation  that  the  lives  of  the  garrison  and  inhabitants 
should  be  spared.*  The  capture  of  this  post,  and  the  supe- 
riority of  the  British  on  the  western  lakes  gave  them  the  com- 
plete control  of  the  Indians,  and  enabled  them  to  bring  down 
upon  Detroit  and  the  southern  parts  of  the  Michigan  territory 
as  many  Indian  forces  as  they  chose. 

Fort  Dearborne.  Fort  Dearborne  is  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Chicago  river,  on  the  south* western  border  of  lake  Michi- 
gan, on  a  territory  of  six  miles  square,  purchased  of  the  Pot- 
tawottamies  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  trading  factory 
and  a  military  post.  On  this  territory  was  a  considerable 
settlement  of  white  inhabitants.  This  post  at  the  declaration 
of  war  was  garrisoned  by  a  company  of  sixty  men.  Consid- 
ering its  remote  situation.  General  Hull  deemed  it  untenable^ 
and  had  given  orders  to  the  commandant,  Captain  Heald,  to 
evacuate  it  and  repair  to  Detroit.  To  accomplish  this,  the 
garrison  would  have  to  traverse  two  hundred  miles  of  wilder- 
ness, inhabited  only  by  hostile  savages.  The  Indians  having 
•obtained  notice  that  the  fort  was  about  to  be  abandoned,  came 
in  in  great  numbers,  and  demanded  the  goods  and  provisions 
in  store.  Captain  Heald  after  making  a  distribution  among 
them,  on  the  15th  of  August  left  the  fort  with  fifty-four  regu- 
lars, twelve  militia  and  twenty-five  women  and  children,  and 

*  Captaia  Hanki'a  report 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  31 

proceeded  along  the  beach  about  two  miles,  when  he  was 
surrounded  and  attacked  by  four  hundred  Indians,  He 
immediately  marched  up  the  bank,  and  charged  those  in 
front,  who  gave  way,  and  joined  the  flanks.  The  Indians  got 
possession  of  all  the  horses,  baggage,  and  provisions,  belong- 
ing to  the  company.  Captain  Heald,  after  having  lost  in  the 
action  thirty-eight  men,  and  fourteen  women  and  children, 
surrendered  upon  the  assurance  that  the  lives  of  the  remain- 
der should  be  spared.  The  Indians  took  their  prisoners 
back  to  their  encampment  near  the  fort,  distributed  the  sur- 
vivors among  the  tribes,  and  set  fire  to  the  fort.  Captain 
Heald  and  his  wife  were  severely  wounded;  after  their 
recovery  they  were  permitted  to  proceed  to  Michillimacki- 
nac. 

HuWs  Invasion,  General  Hull,  on  his  arrival  at  Detroit 
was  joined  by  the  Michigan  militia ;  and  depending  on  the 
co-operation  of  General  Dearborn  on  the  Niagara  frontier, 
on  the  1 2th  of  July  made  his  descent  on  Canada.  He  crossed 
the  river  about  th;^ee  miles  below  the  town,  and  established 
his  head  quarters  5it  Sandwich,  a  village  on  the  opposite  bank. 
Here  he  issued  a  proclamation  offering  fraternity,  peace,  and 
liberty,  to  the  Canadians  who  would  remain  at  home,  and 
threatening  utter  extermination  to  such  as  should  be  found  in 
arms  associated  with  the  Indians  :  and  declaring  that  he  com- 
manded a  force  sufficient  to  look  down  all  opposition,  but 
which  was  only  the  van  of  a  much  greater.  * 

Induced  by  this  proclamation  and  the  appearance  of  a 
respectable  army  on  their  territory,  several  hundred  Canadian 
militia  deserted  the  British  standard,  and  joined  the  Ameri- 
cans, or  returned  to  their  homes  under  General  Hull's  protec- 
tion. 

Colonel  M* Arthur,  with  a  detachment  of  the  Ohio  militia, 
proceeded  along  the  banks  of  the  Thames,  a  river  which  falls 
into  lake  St.  Clair  from  the  east,  and  on  the  borders  of  which 


*  General  Hull's  proclamation. 
U 


^2  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR;  Chap.  4. 

is  a  considerable  settlement  of  white  inhabitants.  Here  he 
found  and  captured  a  large  quantity  of  flour,  blankets,  and 
ammunition,  destined  for  the  garrison  at  Maiden,  and  returned 
to  head-quarters.  The  British,  aware  of^the  objects  of  Hull, 
had  collected  considerable  reinforcements  of  Canadian 
militia  and  Indians,  and  strengthened  their  garrison.  This 
post  was  only  twelve  miles  below  Hull's  encampment.  Had 
the  army,  on  their  entrance  into  Canada,  been  led  immedi- 
ately against  it,  there  is  little  doubt  but  it  would  have  been 
easily  taken  ;  but  every  day's  delay  gave  the  enemy  strength. 
6olonel  Cass,  with  a  detachment  of  three  hundred  men,  was 
despatched  from  Sandwich  to  reconnoitre  the  post ;  on  arriving 
at  the  river  Aux  Canerds,  four  miles  from  Maiden,  they  found 
the  bridge  in  possession  of  the  British;  and,  after  some  skir- 
mishing, returned.  The  planks  of  the  bridge  were  then  taken 
up  by  the  British,  and  a  breast-work  formed  of  them  on  the 
left  bank.  Excepting  these  expeditions  of  trifling  conse- 
quence. General  Hull  remained  inactive  in  his  camp  at  Sand- 
wich until  the  8th  of  August,  when  he  gave  orders  for  the 
main  body  to  recross  the  river,  and  retire  to  Detroit.  A 
detachment  of  three  hundred  men,  under  the  command  of 
Major  Denny  of  the  Ohio  volunteers,  remained  in  possession 
of  Sandwich  until  the  12th,  when  they  abandoned  it  and 
rejoined  the  main  body.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  chagrin 
and  disappointment  of  the  troops  on  quitting  Canada.  They 
had  been  taught  to  believe  it  to  be  an  easy  conquest.  Suc- 
cess had  attended  their  operations  so  far  as  they  had  been 
called  to  act,  and  now  the  object  was  given  up  without  an 
effort.  The  unhappy  Canadians,  who  had  been  induced  by 
the  general's  proclamation  to  accept  his  protection,  were 
abandoned  to  the  vengeance  of  the  British  arms. 

By  the  exertions  of  the  governor  of  Ohio,  a  reinforcement 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  volunteers  from  that  state,  with 
large  supplies  of  provisions,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Brush,  had  been  ordered  to  Detroit.  This  corps  arrived  at 
the  river.  Raisin,  thirty-six  miles  below,  the  last  of  July.  Here 


IS  12.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Z3 

Captain  Brush  received  orders  from  General  Hull,  to  fortify 
himself,  and  remain  until  he  should  receive  an  escort  from 
his  camp.  On  the  4th  of  August,  Major  Vanhorn,  with  twG 
hundred  Ohio  militia,  was  ordered  on  this  service.  At 
Brownstown,  opposite  Maiden,  a  large  body  of  Indians  had 
formed  an  ambuscade,  and  the  detachment  receiving  an 
unexpected  and  heavy  fire,  broke  and  retreated  in  disorder. 
Seventeen,  among  whom  were  seven  officers,  were  killed,  and 
thirty  wounded. 

On  the  8th,  six  hundred  men,  under  Colonel  Miller,  were 
detached  for  the  same  object.  At  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  ninth,  the  van  of  the  detachment  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Snelling,  had  advanced  to  Maguago,  fourteen  miles  from 
Detroit,  and  were  here  attacked  by  an  extensive  line  of 
British  and  Indians,  defended  by  a  breast-work  of  logs. 
Captain  Snelling  gallantly  maintained  his  position  until  Colo- 
nel Miller  formed  his  line,  when  he  gave  a  general  discharge 
of  musketry,  and  charged  them  with  the  bayonet.  The  whole 
line  of  British  and  Indians  gave  way  and  commenced  a 
retreat.  They  were  pursued  in  a  most  vigorous  manner 
for  two  miles  ;  and  the  pursuit  discontinued  only  on  account 
of  the  fatigue  of  the  troops  and  the  apprehensions  of  an 
ambuscade  in  the  night.  The  Indians  on  the  left,  under  the 
command  of  Tecumseh,  fought  with  great  obstinacy,  and 
retired  only  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  The  American  loss 
was  eighteen  killed,  and  fifty-eight  wounded.  Among  the 
wounded  were  Captain  Baker  of  the  1st  regiment,  and  Lieu- 
tenants Larrabee  and  Peters  of  the  4th.  The  detachment  on 
the  10th  returned  to  Detroit,  without  effecting  the  object. 

Governor  Brock^s  Proclamation.  In  the  mean  time,  Gov- 
ernor Brock,  hearing  of  the  invasion  of  his  province,  and  the 
proclamation  of  General  Hull,  prorogued  the  parliament  of 
Upper  Canada,  then  convened  at  York,  and  issued  a  counter 
address  to  the  inhabitants,  informing  them  that  the  unprovoked 
declaration  of  war  had  been  immediately  followed  by  the  actual 
invasion  of  the  province,  in  a  remote  frontier  of  the  western 


14  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAIL  Chap.  4. 

district,  by  a  detachment  of  the  armed  force  of  the  United 
States.  That  the  commanding  officer  of  that  detachment 
had  thought  proper  to  invite  his  majesty's  subjects,  not 
merely  to  a  quiet  and  unresisting  submission,  but  insults  them 
with  a  call  to  seek  voluntarily  the  protection  of  his  govern- 
ment. Without  condescending  to  repeat  the  illiberal  epithets 
bestowed  by  the  author  of  that  appeal  on  the  administration 
of  his  majesty's  government,  the  general  remarks,  *'  let 
every  inhabitant  of  the  province  seek  the  refutation  of  the 
slander  in  a  review  of  his  own  circumstances.  Where  is  the 
Canadian  who  can  truly  affirm,  that  he  has  been  injured  in 
his  person,  liberty,  or  property  ?  Where  is  to  be  found  in  any 
part  of  the  world,  a  growth  so  rapid  in  wealth  as  this  colony 
exhibits  ?  Setded  not  thirty  years  since  by  a  band  of  vete- 
rans, exiled  from  their  former  possessions  on  account  of  their 
loyalty,  not  a  descendant  of  that  brave  people  is  to  be  found, 
who,  under  the  fostering  liberality  of  his  sovereign,  has  not 
acquired  property  and  means  of  enjoyment  superior  to  his 
ancestors  ? 

This  prosperity  could  not  have  been  attained,  had  not  the 
maritime  power  of  the  mother  country  secured  to  its  colonists 
a  safe  access  to  every  market  where  the  produce  of  their 
labour  was  in  demand.  The  immediate  consequence  of  a  sep- 
aration from  Great  Britain,  must  be  the  loss  of  this  inestimable 
advantage.  And  what  is  offered  in  exchange  ?  To  become 
a  territory  of  the  United  States,  and  share  with  them  that 
exclusion  from  the  ocean,  which  the  policy  of  their  govern- 
ment enforces. 

Every  Canadian  freeholder  is,  by  deliberative  choice,  bound 
by  the  most  solemn  oaths  to  defend  the  monarchy,  as  well  as 
his  own  property.  To  shrink  from  that  engagement  is  trea- 
son not  to  be  forgiven.  Let  no  man  suppose,  that  if  in  this 
unexpected  struggle,  his  majesty's  arms  should  be  compelled 
to  yield  to  an  overwhelming  force,  the  province  will  be  event- 
ually abandoned. 


1812'.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  %St 

The  endeared  relations  of  its  first  settlers,  the  intrinsic  value 
of  its  commerce,  and  the  pretensions  of  its  powerful  rival  to 
repossess  the  Canadas,  are  pledges  that  no  peace  will  be 
established  with  the  United  States,  of  which  the  restoration  of 
these  provinces  does  not  make  the  most  prominent  condition. 

Be  not  dismayed  at  the  unjustifiable  threat,  that  no  quarter 
should  be  given,  should  an  Indian  appear  in  the  ranks.  The 
brave  bands  of  natives  which  inhabit  this  colony,  were  for  fike 
his  majesty's  subjects,  punished  for  their  zeal  and  fidelity,  by 
the  loss  of  their  possessions  in  the  late  colonies,  and  rewarded 
by  his  majesty  with  lands  of  superior  value  in  this  province. 
The  faith  of  the  British  government  has  never  yet  been  violated. 
They  feel  that  the  soil  they  inherit  is  to  them  and  their  pos- 
terity, protected  from  the  base  arts  so  frequently  devised  to 
overreach  their  simplicity.  By  what  new  principle  are  they 
to  be  prevented  from  defending  their  property  ?  If  their  war- 
fare, from  being  different  from  that  of  white  people,  is  more 
terrific  to  the  enemy  ;  let  him  retrace  his  steps.  They  seek 
him  not,  and  cannot  expect  to  find  women  and  children  in  an 
invading  army.  The  Indians  are  men,  and  have  equal  rights 
with  all  other  men  to  defend  themselves  and  their  property 
when  invaded ;  more  especially  when  they  find  in  the  ene- 
my's camp,  a  ferocious  and  mortal  foe,  using  the  same  warfare, 
which  the  American  commander  affects  to  despise.  This  in- 
consistent and  unjustifiable  threat  of  refusing  quarter,  for  such 
cause  as  being  found  in  arms  with  a  brother  sufferer  in  defence 
of  invaded  rights,  must  be  exercised  with  the  certain  assurance 
of  retaliation,  not  only  in  the  limited  operations  of  the  war  in 
this  part  of  the  king's  dominions,  but  in  every  quarter  of  the 
globe.  Great  Britain  will  consider  the  execution  of  this  inhu- 
man threat,  as  deliberate  murder,  for  which  every  subject  of 
the  offending  power  must  make  expiation.* 

With  this  address  the  spirit  of  the  Canadians  was  roused  to 
action,  and  General  Brock  pressed  on  to  Maiden,  with  rein- 

"^  Governor  Brock's  address  to  the  Canadians. 


86  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Ghap.4. 

forcements  constantly  increasing,  to  meet  the  American  gen- 
eral in  the  field,  and  convince  him  that  he  was  as  much  his 
superior  in  deeds,  as  in  proclamations.  Governor  Brock  had 
been  educated  in  arms,  and  had  sustained  a  distinguished  rank 
and  character  in  the  army  of  Egypt.  He  arrived  at  Maiden 
with  reinforcements  in  high  spirits  on  the  13th,  just  as  the 
American  troops  retired  from  the  Canadian  shore,  dispirited, 
disappointed,  and  disgusted  with  their  commander.  On  the 
15th,  he  planted  batteries  on  the  bank  of  the  river  opposite 
the  fortress  of  Detroit,  and  sent  a  summons  to  the  American 
general  to  surrender,  stating  that  he  should  otherwise  be  un- 
able to  restrain  the  fury  of  the  savages.  This  was  answered 
by  a  spirited  refusal,  and  a  declaration  that  the  fort  and  town 
would  be  defended  to  the  last  extremity.  The  firing  from  the 
batteries  and  the  fort  immediately  commenced,  and  continued 
with  little  interruption,  and  without  much  effect,  until  the  next 
day.  The  alarm  and  consternation  of  General  Hull  had  now 
become  extreme,  and  appeared  in  a  series  of  irregular  and 
incoherent  measures.  On  the  1 2th,  the  field  officers  suspect- 
ing the  general  intended  a  surrender  of  the  fort,  had  deter- 
mined on  his  arrest.  This  was  prevented  in  consequence  of 
Cols.  M' Arthur  and  Cass,  two  very  active,  intelligent,  and 
spirited  officers,  being  detached  on  the  the  1 3th  with  four  hun- 
dred men,  on  a  third  expedition  to  the  river  Raisin.  They 
advanced  about  fourteen  miles,  when  on  the  15th  they  receiv- 
ed orders  to  return.  At  daylight  on  the  16th,  the  British  troops 
commenced  crossing  the  river  at  Spring  Wells,  three  miles 
below  the  town,  under  cover  of  two  ships  of  war.  They  ac- 
complished their  landing  by  seven  o'clock  without  opposition, 
and  took  up  their  line  of  march  in  close  columns  of  platoons, 
twelve  in  front,  towards  the  fort  along  the  bank  of  the  river. 
The  fourth  regiment  of  United  States  troops  was  stationed  in 
the  fort ;  the  Ohio  volunteers  and  a  part  of  the  Michigan 
militia  behind  the  pickets,  in  a  situation  where  the  whole  flank  of 
the  enemy  would  have  been  exposed.  The  residue  of  the  mili- 
lia  were  in  the  upper  part  of  the  town  to  resist  the  incursions 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  87 

of  the  savages.  Two  twenty-four  pounders  loaded  with  grape 
were  posted  on  a  commanding  eminence  ready  to  sweep  the 
advancing  columns.  Cols.  M' Arthur  and  Cass  had  arrived 
within  view  of  Detroit  ready  to  act  on  the  rear  of  the  enemy. 
In  this  situation  the  troops  waited  in  eager  expectation  the  ad- 
vance of  the  British,  anticipating  a  brilliant  victory. 

Surrender  of  Detroit.  When  the  head  of  the  British  col- 
umns had  advanced  within  five  hundred  yards  of  the  line,  and 
the  artillery  ready  to  sweep  their  ranks,  orders  were  given  for 
the  troops  to  retire  into  the  fort,  and  for  the  artillery  not  to 
fire.  A  white  flag  was  hoisted.  A  British  officer  rode  up  to 
inquire  the  cause.  A  communication  passed  between  the 
commanding  generals  which  soon  ended  in  a  capitulation.* 
The  fortress  of  Detroit,  with  all  the  public  stores,  property,  and 
documents  of  every  kind,  were  surrendered.  The  troops  were 
made  prisoners  of  war.  The  detachment  under  M'Arthur 
and  Cass,  and  the  troops  at  the  river  Raisin,  were  included  in 
the  capitulation.  On  the  17th,  General  Brock  despatched  a 
flag  to  Captain  Brush  with  the  terms.  He  immediately  called 
a  council  of  his  officers,  who  determined  that  they  were  not 
bound  by  the  capitulation,  and  advised  to  break  up  the  camp 
and  return.  In  pursuance  of  their  advice,  Captain  Brush 
immediately  broke  up  his  camp,  took  with  him  what  public 
stores  and  property  he  could,  and  commenced  his  retreat  to 
Ohio.  The  Michigan  militia  who  had  not  joined  the  army 
were  paroled,  on  condition  of  not  serving  during  the  present 
war.  No  provision  was  made  for  the  unfortunate  Canadians 
who  had  joined  General  Hull,  or  accepted  his  protection.  They 
were  left  exposed  to  suffer  as  traitors ;  nine  were  executed  at 
one  time,  and  several  more  afterwards.  General  Hull  in  this 
measure  took  counsel  only  from  his  own  fears.  He  held  no 
council  of  war,  knowing  that  all  his  officers  would  be  opposed 
to  the  surrender.  In  his  official  report  he  expressly  exempts 
them  from  any  share  in  the  disgraceful  transaction. 

*  Col.  Cass'  letter  to  the  secretary  of  war. 


88  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  4 

The  British  force  at  Maiden  at  the  time  General  Hull  en- 
tered Canada,  and  until  the  12th  of  August,  consisted  of  one 
hundred  regular  troops,  four  hundred  Canadian  militia,  and 
several  hundred  Indians.  After  the  arrival  of  General  Brock 
with  his  reinforcements,  the  whole  amounted  to  three  hundred 
and  thirty  regulars,  four  hundred  militia,  and  six  hundred  In- 
dians. The  troops  surrendered  by  General  Hull  amounted 
to  twenty-five  hundred,  consisting  of  two  troops  of  cavalry, 
one  company  of  artillery,  the  fourth  United  States  regiment, 
and  detachments  from  the  first  and  third ;  three  regiments  of 
Ohio  volunteers,  and  one  regiment  of  Michigan  militia, 
amounting  to  about  twelve  hundred.  By  this  capitulation  the 
British  obtained  2500  muskets  stacked  on  the  esplanade  at 
the  time  of  the  surrender,  450  brought  in  by  the  detachment 
under  M' Arthur  and  Cass,  700  received  from  the  Michigan 
militia,  thirty-three  pieces  of  ordnance,  one  thousand  rounds  of 
fixed  ammunition,  200  tons  of  ball,  200  cartridges  of  grape  shot, 
75,000  musket  catridges  made  up,  24  rounds  in  the  possession 
of  each  man,  60  barrels  of  gunpowder,  150  tons  of  lead, 
provisions  for  the  army  for  25  days  in  the  fort,  and  a  large 
escort  at  the  river  Raisin.* 

An  event  so  disgraceful  to  the  American  arms  did  not  fail 
to  excite  universal  indignation.  When  M' Arthur's  sword  was 
demanded,  he  indignantly  broke  it,  tore  the  epaulets  from  his 
shoulders,  and  threw  himself  on  the  ground.  As  soon  as 
General  Hull  was  exchanged,  a  court  martial  was  ordered 
upon  his  conduct,  and  held  at  Albany  on  the  3d  of  January 
1814. 

General  HulPs  Trial.  Major  General  Henry  Dearborn, 
President ;  members,  Brigadier  Generals  Bloomfield,  Parker, 
and  Covington.  Colonels  Fenwick,  Carberney,  and  Irvine. 
Lieutenant  Colonels  Dennis,  Conner,  Davis,  Scott,  and  Stew- 
art.    Alexander  J.  Dallas,  special  judge  advocate. 

*  Report  of  the  British  quarter-master. 


X8l^  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  ^!^ 

Charges.     The  charges  filed  against  him  were, 
J.  Treason. 

II.  Cowardice. 

III.  Neglect  of  duty  and  unollicerlike  conduct,  from  the 
9th  of  April  to  the  16th  of  August,  1812. 

The  facts  adduced  in  support  of  the  first  charge,  were, 
that  on  the  1st  July,  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids  of  the  Miami, 
he  put  on  board  an  unarmed  vessel  his  baggage,  and  papers^ 
containing  his  instructions  and  correspondence  with  the  secre- 
tary of  war,  and  the  muster-rolls  of  the  army,  and  the  sick 
and  hospital  stores,  and  sent  her  within  reach  of  the  British 
fortress  at  Maiden,  with  a  traitorous  design  of  having  her 
taken  by  the  enemy,  and  in  consequence  thereof  she  was 
captured. 

That  he  traitorously  neglected  and  refused  to  attack  Maiden, 
when  it  might  have  been  easily  taken ;  and  abandoned  liis 
post  at  Sandwich,  and  traitorously  surrendered  Detroit  when 
it  might  and  ought  to  have  been  defended,  with  a  view  to 
betray  the  United  States,  and  aid  and  comfort  the  enemy. 

The  facts  adduced  in  support  of  the  second  charge,  were, 
that  he  neglected  to  attack  Maiden,  and  quitted  his  position 
at  Sandwich,  without  any  just  cause. 

That  during  the  term  of  the  bombardment  of  the  fort  on 
the  15th  of  August,  he  manifested  great  fear  and  apprehension 
of  personal  danger,  by  a  course  of  conduct  and  conversation 
evincing  personal  alarm,  agitation  of  mind,  and  deprivation  of 
judgment ;  and  by  timid  and  cowardly  actions  and  expressions 
in  the  presence  of  the  officers  and  soldiers,  in  the  streets  of 
the  town,  and  in  the  fortress  of  Detroit,  gave  a  fatal  en 
couragement  to  the  enemy,  and  afforded  a  most  pernicious 
example  to  the  American  troops. 

That  the  same  course  of  conduct  was  pursued  by  him  after 
the  British  landed  at  Spring  Wells.  That  he  neglected  to 
reconnoitre  and  attack  the  enemy  on  their  approach  to  the 
fort ;  avoided  all  personal  danger ;  withdrew  from  his  troops 
to  a  place  of  safety  ;  issued  incoherent  and  contradictory  or 


^0  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  VfAR.  Chap.  4, 

ders  ;  and  surrendered  the  army,  fortress,  town,  and  territory, 
to  an  inferior  force,  and  without  any  justifiable  cause. 

The  same  facts  were  adduced  in  support  of  the  third  charge, 
as  of  the  two  others;  and  in  addition  to  them,  that  he  neglected 
to  inspect,  review,  and  train  the  army,  and  to  prepare  in  due 
form  and  time,  and  communicate  to  his  troops,  an  order  of 
batde ;  that  he  neglected  to  put  the  works  of  the  fort  in  re- 
pair, and  to  put  the  artillery  in  order: 

That  he  neglected  to  keep  open  a  communication  between 
Detroit  and  the  river  Raisin,  and  sent  out  detachments  mani- 
festly insufficient  for  the  object,  and  neglected  to  supply  them 
with  provisions  to  enable  them  to  accomplish  the  service  on 
which  they  were  detached. 

Defence,  On  the  charge  of  treason,  General  Hull  objected 
to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  court,  as  being  a  matter  of  civil 
cognizance  only. 

On  the  other  charges  his  defence  was,  his  general  good  cha- 
racter and  conduct  as  an  officer  in  the  revolutionary  army, 
and  since.  That  the  means  furnished  him  for  this  expedition 
were  inadequte  to  the  attainment  of  the  object ;  the  British 
having  the  command  of  the  lake,  no  supplies  could  be  obtain- 
ed but  only  on  pack-horses,  and  through  a  wilderness  of  two 
hundred  miles  in  extent  from  the  settled  parts  of  the  state  of 
Ohio.  That  the  fall  of  Michillimackinac,  for  which  he  was 
not  answerable,  had  enabled  the  British  to  bring  down  upon 
him  the  whole  Indian  force  of  the  north-west,  and  cut  off  all 
communication  between  him  and  his  resources ;  that  no  rein- 
forcements or  supplies,  for  which  he  had  repeatedly  sent,  had 
reached,  or  could  reach  him  ;  that  the  garrison  had  but  a  few 
days  provisions  on  hand,  and  that  a  capitulation  was  neces- 
sary, to  save  them  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  territory  from 
massacre. 

On  the  26th  of  March,  after  a  session,  with  little  interrup- 
tion, of  eighty  days,  the  court  came  to  a  final  result. 

Sentence,  On  the  first  charge,  they  determined  they  had 
not  jurisdiction;  but  remark,  that  the  evidence  upon  the  sub- 


1812.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  f  f 

iect  having  been  publicly  given,  they  deem  it  proper  in  justice 
to  the  accused  to  say,  that  they  do  not  believe  from  any 
thing  that  has  appeared  before  them,  that  he  has  committed 
treason  against  the  United  States. 

Most  of  the  facts  alleged  in  support  of  the  other  charges 
they  find  to  be  proved;  those  which  they  do  not  find  proved 
they  particularly  point  out;  they  find  his  defence  unsupport- 
ed, except  as  to  his  good  character  in  the  revolutionary  war, 
and  therefore  find  him  guilty  of  the  second  and  third  charges, 
and  sentence  him  to  be  shot  to  death ;  two  thirds  of  the  court 
concurring  in  the  sentence.  In  consideration  of  his  revolu- 
tionary services  and  his  advanced  age,  they  earnestly  recom- 
mend him  to  the  mercy  of  the  executive.  The  President 
approved  the  sentence,  remitted  the  execution,  and  ordered 
his  name  to  be  stricken  from  the  rolls  of  the  army.* 

*  Proceeding's  of  the  Court  Martial  on  General  Hull. 

General  Hull  has  recently  published  a  memoir  of  his  campaign,  con- 
taining an  elaborate  defence  of  his  conduct,  and  endeavouring  to  throvr 
the  blame  on  the  administration  and  General  Dearborn.  He  imputes 
his  disasters  to  an  unauthorized  armistice  agreed  to  by  that  General, 
and  to  his  inactivity  on  the  Niagara  frontier,  by  means  of  which  Gen- 
eral Brock  was  enabled  to  reinforce  Maiden : — to  the  want  of  a  navy 
on  the  lake  ;  and  to  a  general  deficiency  of  means.  In  justification  of 
his  proclamation,  for  which  he  has  been  so  much  censured,  he  produces 
a  letter  from  the  secretary  of  war :  soon  after  it  was  received  at  Wash- 
ington, highly  approving  his  conduct,  and  not  censuring  the  proclama- 
tion. Statements  coming  so  long  after  the  transactions,  and  from  a 
person  so  deeply  interested,  it  is  obvious,  must  be  received  with  great 
caution,  any  further  than  they  are  supported  by  documentary  testimony. 
He  has  produced  a  variety  of  evidence  of  this  nature,  which,  though  it 
falls  far  short  of  a  justification,  has  a  tendency  to  divide  the  blame.  He 
complains  much  of  the  appointment  of  an  officer  to  proceed  in  the  court 
martial,  whose  conduct  was  so  deeply  implicated  in  the  same  transaction, 
and  imputes  it  to  a  combination  between  the  administration,  and  that 
officer  to  give  him  up  as  a  sacrifice  to  their  own  reputation.  Though 
he  utterly  fails  of  producing  any  evidence  of  such  a  combination,  yet  it 
was  greatly  to  have  been  wished,  that  a  president  of  that  court  who 
was  to  pronounce  upon  the  character  and  life  of  the  general,  might  have 
been  selected,  against  whom  no  such  suspicions  could  exist. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Froceediags  of  the  Western  States  in  consequence  of  Hull's  Defeat. — 
Army  under  General  Harrison. — Defence  of  Fort  Harrison. — Gen- 
eral Hopkins's  Expedition  against  the  Kickapoo  Town;  against 
the  Prophet's  Town. — Progress  of  the  Army  under  General  Harri- 
son towards  the  Miami  Rapids. — Fort  Wayne. — Fort  Defiance. — 
General  Tupper's  Expedition  to  the  Rapids. — Colonel  Campbell's 
Expedition  against  the  Messessiwena  Towns. — Battle  at  the  River 
Raisin. — Defeat  and  Capture  of  General  Winchester's  Army. — Cru- 
elties of  the  British  and  Indians. — Description  of  the  Niagara  Fron- 
tier.— Proceedings  of  General  Van  Rensselaer. — Battle  of  Queens- 
ton. — Militia  refuse  to  cross  the  River. — The  American  Army  cap- 
tured.— General  Smyth's  Proclamations ;  attempts  to  pass  into 
Canada,  and  fails. — Duel  between  Generals  Smyth  and  Porter. — 
Proceedings  of  the  Army  of  the  North. — Causes  of  the  Failure  of  the 
Campaign  of  1812. 

Alarm  of  the  Western  States.     The  surrender  of  the  north- 
western army,  of  the  town  and  fortress  of  Detroit,  of  the 
mihtary  posts  of  the  north-west,  and  of  the  whole  territory  of 
Michigan,  within  sixty  days   after  the  declaration  of  war, 
were  subjects   of  universal  astonishment  and   alarm.     The 
great  body  of  Indians  in  the  western  country,  ever  ready  to 
join  the  successful  party,  were  now  flocking  to  the  British 
standard,  and  preparing  to  renew  their  ravages  with  increased 
severity.     The  state  of  Ohio,  and  the  territories  of  Indiana 
and    Illinois,    were  the  most  immediately   exposed.     Large 
numbers  of  Indians  were  contained  within  their  borders,  who, 
in  connexion  with  those  without,  would  now  be  induced  to 
join  the   enemy.     Had  the  army  under  General  Hull  been 
successful,  and  the  establishment  at  Maiden  broken  up,  the 
savages  deprived  of  their  supplies,  would  have  been  obliged  to 
remain  neutral,  or  have  been  awed  into  submission.  Now  they 
were  abundantly  furnished,  and  had  every  inducement  held 


94  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  5, 

out  to  them  to  increase  their  depredations.  The  alarm  how- 
ever that  these  events  excited  only  served  to  stimulate  to 
increased  exertions,  and  the  Indians  were  ultimately  doomed 
to  suffer  the  injuries  which  they  and  their  allies  had  calculated 
to  inflict  on  the  border  inhabitants  of  the  United  States. 

Exertions,  By  the  spirited  exertions  of  the  governors  of 
Ohio,  Kentucky,  Indiana,  and  Illinois,  an  army  of  volun- 
teers was  assembled  in  a  few  weeks,  amounting  to  eight 
thousand  men.  Indeed,  many  more  offered  than  could  be 
received  into  service.  These  were  placed  under  the  com- 
mand of  General  Harrison,  governor  of  Indiania  and  a  briga- 
dier in  the  United  States  service,  in  whose  talents  and  expe- 
rience the  western  country  had  the  most  perfect  confidence. 
The  object  of  these  troops  was  to  subdue  the  Indians  of  the 
west,  and  regain  what  was  lost  at  Detroit.  The  Indians  can 
be  divested  of  their  means  of  annoyance  only  by  destroying 
their  towns,  and  their  means  of  support,  and  in  this  manner 
compelling  them  to  retire  further  into  the  wilderness.  Such 
was  the  object  of  these  preparations. 

Defence  of  Fort  Harrison,  Fort  Harrison  on  the  Wabash, 
sixty  miles  above  Vincennes,  on  the  4th  of  September,  was  in- 
vested by  a  large  party  of  Indians  from  the  Prophet's  town.  A 
party  of  thirty  or  forty  Indians  had  appeared  at  the  fort  early 
in  the  evening,  with  a  flag,  under  pretence  of  obtaining  pro- 
visions. Captain  Taylor,  commander  of  the  garrison,  sus- 
pecting an  attack,  supplied  his  men  with  cartridges,  and 
increased  his  guards.  At  about  11  o'clock,  the  Indians 
prowling  about  the  fort  privately  set  fire  to  the  block-house, 
in  which  the  provisions  and  spirits  for  the  garrison  were 
stored  ;  and  notwithstanding  every  exertion,  the  whole  build- 
ing was  immediately  in  flames,  and  threatened  destructioa  to 
the  others ;  but  the  flames  were  prevented  from  further 
spreading  by  the  great  exertions  of  the  garrison.  The 
Indians  kept  up  a  firing  until  morning,  when  the  garrison  were 
able  to  direct  their  fire  upon  them,  and  obliged  them  to  retire 
beyond  the  reach  of  their  guns.     The  Indians  destroyed  the 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  95 

horses  and  hogs,  and  drove  off  the  cattle  belonging  to  the 
garrison.  At  the  time  of  this  attack,  there  were  not  more 
than  twenty  men  in  the  garrison  fit  for  duty.  Captain  Tay- 
lor the  next  day  repaired  the  breach  made  by  the  burning  of 
the  block-house,  by  a  strong  row  of  pickets,  and  despatched 
messengers  to  Vincennes  for  relief.  Not  long  afterwards, 
General  Hopkins  with  the  Kentucky  volunteers  arrived,  and 
relieved  the  garrison. 

General  Hopkins'' s  first  Expedition*  The  hostility  in  which 
the  Indians  had  been  led  to  engage  by  their  British  friends, 
induced  a  determination  on  the  part  of  the  Americans,  to 
extirpate  the  hostile  tribes,  or  drive  them  beyond  the  limits  of 
the  United  States.  While  General  Harrison  was  preparing 
and  organizing  his  forces  for  the  Miami,  General  Hopkins, 
under  the  direction  of  the  governor  of  Kentucky,  was  pre- 
paring an  expedition  against  the  Indians  on  the  head  waters  of 
the  Wabash,  and  Ilhnois.  Early  in  October  a  force  of  four 
thousand  mounted  men,  from  Kentucky  and  the  territories  of 
Illinois  and  Indiana,  was  collected  at  Vincennes  under  his 
command.  On  the  iOth  of  October,  they  reached  fort  Har- 
rison and  relieved  that  garrison,  and  on  the  14th  crossed  the 
Wabash,  and  encamped  after  a  march  of  about  three  miles. 
General  Hopkins,  perceiving  some  discontents  among  his 
troops,  assembled  the  field  officers  and  captains,  and  explained 
to  them  the  objects  of  the  expedition,  and  the  benefits  which 
would  probably  result  from  it.  The  Kickapoo  villages  were 
about  one  hundred  miles  distant,  and  the  Pioria  towns  about 
one  hundred  and  sixty.  The  destruction  of  these  towns,  and 
the  intervening  ones,  would  break  up  the  most  formidable 
haunts  of  the  savages,  and  secure  the  setdements  and  posts 
from  attack.  His  troops  were  supplied  with  ten  days  provi- 
sions, and  every  thing  necessary  for  the  expedition.  The 
officers  held  a  council,  and  reported  in  favour  of  proceeding  ; 
they  commenced  their  march  on  the  1 4th,  and  continued  it 
four  days.  The  discontents  increased ;  many  broke  away 
and  returned.     A  major  addressed  the  general,  in  an  insolent 


ee  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chap.  5, 

and  dictatorial  manner,  and  demanded  to  be  conducted  imme- 
diately back.  On  the  18th,  they  encamped  on  the  edge  of  a 
large  prairie,  covered  with  high  grass  and  dry  weeds.  The 
Indians  set  fire  to  the  opposite  sides,  the  wind  drove  the 
flames  furiously  towards  the  camp,  and  the  Americans  with 
some  difficulty  saved  themselves  by  firing  the  grass  round 
their  encampment.  This  decided  the  army  to  return.  Gen- 
eral Hopkins  offered  to  lead  on  five  hundred  men,  if  that  num- 
ber could  be  found  to  volunteer,  but  none  turned  out.  He 
then  proposed  to  lead  them  on  that  day,  and  then  would 
agree  to  return  ;  but  on  putting  himself  at  their  head,  and 
ordering  them  to  follow,  they  filed  off  in  a  contrary  direction; 
and  he  was  obliged  to  follow  in  the  rear  of  his  troops  back 
to  fort  Harrison.  They  had  penetrated  about  eighty  miles 
into  the  Indian  country,  but  found  no  enemy. 

Second  Expedition  oj  General  Hopkins,  General  Hopkins, 
not  discouraged  by  the  ill  success  of  this  expedition,  determined 
another  against  the  Prophet's  town,  and  other  villages  on  the 
Wabash.  On  the  lUh  of  November,  he  marched  from  fort 
Harrison,  with  a  detachment  of  United  States  troops,  and  as 
many  militia  as  could  be  induced  to  join  him.  On  the  20th 
they  arrived  at  the  Prophet's  town,  and  destroyed  the  huts  of 
that  and  the  neighbouring  villages,  amounting  to  nearly 
three  hundred,  and  large  quantities  of  corn.  The  Indians 
had  abandoned  their  dwellings  at  the  approach  of  the 
troops.  The  army  then  proceeded  in  quest  of  the  Indian 
encampment,  and  on  the  24th,  found  it  in  a  very  strong 
position,  on  the  Ponce-passe  creek,  which  protected  it  on 
three  sides,  and  in  front  of  their  encampment  was  a  high 
bluif,  which  could  be  approached  only  through  steep  ravines. 
This  position  the  Indians  had  abandoned,  previous  to  the 
approach  of  General  Hopkins.  The  lateness  of  the  season, 
and  the  severity  of  the  weather,  prevented  a  further  progress 
into  the  Indian  country.*     Several  other  expeditions  were 

*  General  Hopkins's  letter  to  Governor  Shelby. 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  97 

successfully  undertaken  and  accomplished  against  the  In- 
dians on  the  Wabash,  the  Illinois,  and  their  tributary  streams  ; 
and  by  these  means,  the  security  of  this  frontier  was  etfected. 

After  the  failure  of  Chicaugo,  and  the  capture  of  Captain 
Heald,  the  Miami  and  the  Potawatomee  Indians,  to  the  amount 
of  five  or  six  hundred,  invested  fort  Wayne,  situated  on  the 
Miami  at  the  junction  of  St.  Marys  and  St.  Josephs.  Gene- 
ral Harrison's  first  object,  after  he  had  collected  a  sufficient 
force,  was  the  relief  of  that  place.  He  arrived  there  with 
twenty-five  hundred  men,  on  the  12th  of  September.  The  In- 
dians, hearing  of  his  approach,  had  burned  and  destroyed 
every  thing  outside  of  the  garrison  and  fled,  four  days  before 
his  arrival.  The  next  object  was  to  open  and  secure  a 
communication  along  the  Miami  river,  between  the  settled 
part,  of  the  state  of  Ohio  and  Lake  Erie,  and  establishing 
a  strong  post  at  the  foot  of  the  Miami  rapids. 

General  Winchester's  advance  to  the  Rapids,  On  the  20th 
of  September,  General  Winchester  commenced  his  march 
from  fort  Wayne,  along  the  river,  to  fort  Defiance,  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Au  Glaise  with  the  Miami.  He  reached  that  place 
on  the  2d  of  October,  having  had  some  skirmishing  with  the 
Indians  on  his  march,  by  which  he  lost  seven  killed  and  one 
wounded.  On  his  arrival  at  the  fort,  he  found  the  enemy  had 
passed  thence  three  days  before.  General  Harrison  joined  the 
troops  on  their  march  from  fort  Wayne  to  fort  Defiance. 
From  thence  he  ordered  General  Tupper,  of  the  Ohio  volun- 
teers, with  a  detachment  of  one  thousand  men,  to  proceed 
immediately  to  the  rapids,  a  distance  of  fifty  miles  from 
Defiance.  General  Harrison  then  left  the  immediate  com- 
mand to  General  Winchester,  and  proceeded  to  Franklinton, 
to  organize  and  bring  on  the  reinforcements.  General  Tup- 
per, in  consequence  of  the  damaged  state  of  his  ammunition, 
and  the  time  requisite  for  procuring  provisions,  was  consider- 
ably delayed.  In  the  mean  time,  the  Indians  appeared  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  killed  one  man.  Major  Brushy 
with  fifty  men,  was  ordered  across  the  river  to  reconnoitre  ; 


9g  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  B. 

when  nearly  the  whole  of  General  Tapper's  troops,  contrary 
to  orders,  mounted,  and  crossed  the  river  in  small  bands,  in 
pursuit  of  the  enemy.  General  Winchester  then  ordered 
General  Tupper  to  proceed  with  his  whole  force  in  pursuit  of 
the  Indians.  The  latter  remonstrated  against  the  order,  re- 
presenting his  situation  to  be  such  as  rendered  it  impracticable. 
This  was  followed  by  a  peremptory  order  to  proceed. 
While  General  Tupper  was  preparing  to  obey  the  order, 
General  Winchester  transferred  the  command  of  the  oxpcdi- 
dition  to  Col.  Allen  of  the  United  States  troops ;  on  this  being 
made  known  to  the  Ohio  militia,  they  refused  to  proceed,  and 
immediately  returned  to  Urbanna  ;  and  the  expedition  was 
abandoned. 

General  Tupper'^s  Expedition.  From  Urbanna  General 
Tupper  proceeded  to  fort  M' Arthur,  with  his  mounted  men, 
where  another  expedition  was  organized,  consisting  of  six 
hundred  troops,  to  proceed  to  the  rapids.  He  arrived  at  the 
place  of  his  destination  on  the  evening  of  the  1 3th  of  Novem- 
ber, and  found  the  place  in  possession  of  the  British  and  In- 
dians. He  immediately  made  a  disposition  for  crossing  the 
river.  A  few  of  his  men  succeeded  in  getting  over,  but  the 
greater  part  missed  the  ford,  and  the  depth  and  rapidity  of  the 
current  endangered  their  safety;  and  as  soon  as  day  appeared, 
and  they  were  discovered  by  the  enemy,  those  who  had  cross- 
ed were  ordered  to  return.  The  gun-boats  and  other  craft  in 
the  river,  escaped  down  to  the  lake.  The  Indian  chief 
Splitlog,  at  the  head  of  a  considerable  band  of  warriors, 
crossed  the  river  on  horseback,  and  made  a  violent  attack-on 
General  Tupper's  troops.  They  were  received  with  firmness, 
driven  back,  and  compelled  to  recross  the  river  with  consid- 
erable loss.  General  Tupper's  provisions  being  expended,  he 
was  obliged  to  return. 

Col,  CampbelPs  Expedition  to  the  Messessiwena.  From 
Frankhnton,  Colonel  Campbell,  of  the  19th  regiment  of  Uni- 
ted States  infantry,  was  despatched  on  an  expedition  against 
the  Indians  on  the  Messessiwena  river,  a  branch  of  the  Wabash. 
On  the  morning  of  the  17th  of  November,  he  arrived  undis- 


l$lg.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  $% 

covered,  and  made  a  charge  upon  their  principal  town,  which 
he  destroyed,  with  three  others  a  few  miles  down  the  river. 
On  the  1 2th  of  December,  his  camp  w-as  attacked  by  a  party 
of  three  hundred  Indians,  on  the  right  hne,  occupied  by  Ma- 
jor Ball's  squadron  of  horse,  who  gallantly  fought  them  for 
three-quarters  of  an  hour,  when  the  Indians  retreated.  They 
were  at  the  same  time  bravely  charged  by  Captain  Trotter  at 
the  head  of  his  troop  of  cavalry.  Four  Indian  towns  were 
destroyed,  forty  warriors  killed,  and  about  the  same  number 
jmade  prisoners.  The  American  loss  was  nine  killed,  and 
thirty  wounded.      ;>     m*» 

While  General  Harrison  was  collecting  his  forces  at  San- 
dusky, with  a  view  to  concentrate  them  at  the  rapids  to  ope- 
rate upon  Maiden  and  Detroit,  General  Winchester  proceeded 
from  fort  Defiance  along  the  Miami,  and  established  himself, 
and  strengthened  the  post  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids.  Here  he 
received  a  pressing  call  from  the  inhabitants  of  Frenchtown, 
on  the  river  Raisin,  for  protection ;  representing  that  they 
were  every  moment  exposed  and  threatened  with  destruction 
by  the  British  and  Indians  at  Maiden.  The  Raisin,  after  an 
easterly  course  of  about  forty  miles,  falls  into  the  west  end  of 
lake  Erie,  twenty  miles  below  Maiden,  and  forty  north  of  the 
mouth  of  the  Miami ;  along  its  banks,  for  several  miles  from 
its  mouth,  are  fertile  bottom  lands  of  considerable  extent,  in- 
habited by  people  of  French  extract,  and  composing  the  vil- 
lage of  Frenchtown,  which  next  to  Detroit  and  Mackinaw,  is 
the  most  considerable  settlement  in  the  Michigan  territory. 
Colonel  Lewis,  with  a  detachment  of  three  hundred  men,  was 
ordered  to  the  relief  of  these  inhabitants.  On  the  17th,  he 
arrived  within  three  miles  of  the  town,  when  he  learned  that 
the  enemy  were  already  there,  and  had  taken  possession  of 
the  fortified  position  formerly  occupied  by  Captain  Brush. 
On  the  18th,  he  attacked  and  drove  them  from  their  strong 
holds,  pursued  them  a  considerable  distance  into  the  woods, 
and  returned  and  encamped  on  the  ground  from  whence  he  had 
driven  them.     On  the  20th,  General  Winchester  arrived  with 


lOOT  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  5. 

the  main  body  from  the  rapids.  The  whole  force  now  amount- 
ed to  seven  hundred  and  fifty  men,  consisting  of  regular 
troops,  and  a  large  corps  of  Kentucky  volunteers.  This  ex- 
pedition was  the  effect  of  inconsiderate  zeal  and  humanity, 
and  not  the  result  of  military  prudence.  The  detachment  was 
now  seventy  miles  from  any  succours,  in  an  uncovered  situa- 
tion, and  within  twenty  miles  of  Maiden,  where  was  a  much 
superior  British  force.  The  ice  formed  a  solid  bridge  from 
Maiden  to  Frcnchtown,  and  a  march  of  six  hours  was  only 
requisite  to  bring  the  British  to  the  American  encampment. 
Captain  Brush's  works  having  been  completed  for  a  much 
smaller  body  of  men,  were  insufficient  to  protect  the  whole 
of  General  Winchester's  forces,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  of 
them  were  necessarily  posted  in  an  exposed  situation  outside 
of  the  pickets.  The  expedition  was  undertaken  without  the 
knowledge  of  General  Harrison,  and  when  he  heard  of  it,  he 
was  filled  w^ith  the  most  alarming  apprehensions  for  their  safe- 
ty. Having  written  to  Governor  Meigs,  expressing  his  fears 
in  strong  terms,  and  requesting  further  succours,  he  pressed  on 
with  all  the  lroo{)s  he  had  collected  at  Sandusky,  to  the 
rapids,  to  be  in  a  situation  to  support  General  Winchester. 
The  situation  of  this  detachment  did  not  fail  to  attract  the 
attention  of  the  British  at  Maiden. 

Battle  at  the  llher  Raisin,  On  the  evening  of  the  21st  of 
January,  Colonel  Proctor  left  Maiden  with  six  hundred  British 
and  Canadians,  and  upwards  of  one  thousand  Indians  under 
the  chiefs  Splitlog  and  Roundhead,  and  at  day-break  of  the 
22d,  commenced  a  furious  attack  upon  the  Americans.  The 
left  wing  of  General  Winchester's  troops,  amounting  to  six 
hundred,  were  stationed  within  the  pickets,  formed  in  a  half 
circle.  The  British  artillery  were  in  front,  the  Canadians  and 
Indians  on  each  flank.  The  right  wing,  consisting  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  were  in  an  exposed  situation  without 
the  pickets.  Large  bodies  of  Indians  were  stationed  in  the 
icar  to  intercept  a  retreat.  The  onset  was  first  made  on  the 
right  w^ing,   which  after  sustaining  an  unequal  contest   for 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  ;  !        |0| 

twenty  minutes,  broke  and  fled  across  the  river ;  here  they 
fell  in  with  a  .body  of  Indians,  and  were  nearly  all  mas- 
sacred. Two  companies  of  fifty  men  each,  which  went  out 
from  the  pickets  to  their  assistance,  shared  the  same  fate. 
General  Winchester  and  Colonel  Lewis,  in  attempting  to 
rally  them,  and  bring  them  to  a  more  advantageous  position, 
were  made  prisoners.  The  left  wing  maintained  their  posi- 
tion, and  fought  with  distinguished  valour,  against  treble  their 
number,  until  eleven  o'clock ;  when  General  Winchester  hav- 
ing no  hopes  of  success  or  escape  for  this  band,  capitulated 
for  them ;  stipulating  for  their  safety  and  honourable  treatment 
as  prisoners  of  war,  and  particularly  that  the  wounded  should 
be  protected  from  the  fury  of  the  savages.  Three  hundred 
and  ninety-seven  were  slain  in  battle,  or  afterwards  massacred 
by  the  Indians;  the  remainder  all  taken  prisoners.  The 
British  acknowledge  a  loss  of  only  twenty-four  killed,  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  wounded.  This,  however,  is  alto- 
gether short  of  the  real  number,  as  they  sustained  a  constant 
and  heavy  fire  from  the  troops  within  the  pickets,  from  seven 
to  eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon.  Sixty-four  wounded  Ame- 
ricans were  left  on  the  ground ;  these  by  the  aid  of  the  inha- 
bitants, had  mostly  been  removed  into  the  neigbouring  houses, 
and  were  left  by  the  British  with  the  promise  that  they  should 
be  transported  in  sleighs  to  Maiden. 

Massacre,  On  the  morning  of  the  23d,  a  large  body  of 
Indians  came  in,  tomahawked,  and  scalped  these  sufferers, 
then  stripped  them,  plundered  and  set  fire  to  the  houses,  a-nd 
consumed  the  dead  and  dying  in  one  undistinguished  confla- 
gration. The  fate  of  Captain  Hart  was  peculiarly  distress- 
ing, though  similar  in  many  of  its  circumstances  to  a 
number  of  others.  Early  in  the  action  he  had  received  a 
wound  in  the  knee,  which  prevented  his  walking.  After 
the  capitulation.  Captain  Elliott,  an  American  in  the 
British  service,  who  had  been  a  class-mate  and  a  particular 
friend  of  Captain  Hart,  at  Princeton  College,  came  to  him, 
voluntarily  ofiered  him  his  protection,  and  assured  him  he 


im  HIST*0RY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap,  5. 

-'should  be  conveyed  to  Maiden,  and  taken  care  of  in  Elliott's 
house  until  he  recovered.  With  these  fair  promises,  he 
indulged  the  hope  of  speedy  relief  and  recovery.  But  the 
next  day  he  found  himself  in  the  hands  of  the  savages.  They 
tore  him  from  the  bed  where  he  lay  ;  a  brother  officer  rescued 
him,  and  conveyed  him  to  another  apartment.  Here  he  was 
again  assaulted.  At  length  he  bargained  with  one  of  the 
Indians  for  a  hundred  dollars  to  convey  him  to  Maiden. 
They  set  off  on  horse-back,  and  having  travelled  a  few  miles, 
were  met  by  another  band  of  savages,  who  claimed  Captain 
Hart  as  their  prisoner.  The  Indian  not  giving  him  up,  the 
others  shot  and  scalped  him.  Such  of  the  wounded  as  were 
able  to  travel,  the  Indians  carried  oiF  with  them  into  the 
wilderness,  and  afterwards  brought  them  into  Detroit,  where 
they  were  ransomed  and  furnished  with  clothing  by  the 
inhabitants.  Judge  Woodward  and  Mr.  M'Intosh,  with  other 
inhabitants  of  the  Michigan  territory,  exerted  themselves  for 
-the  relief  of  the  sufferers,  and  procured  the  release  of  all  who 
survived  of  those  who  had  been  carried  off  by  the  Indians* 
General  Harrison  despatched  Doctor  M'Keehan  with  tvvoF 
attendants  from  Sandusky,  to  assist  in  dressing  the  wounded, 
with  an  open  letter  to  General  Winchester,  a  flag,  and  an 
address  to  Colonel  Proctor,  or  any  British  officer,  stating  his 
character  and  business,  and  furnished  with  money  to  procure 
necessaries.  At  the  rapids  of  the  Miami  they  entered  a 
vacant  house  for  a  few  hours-  sleep,  and  left  their  flag  hoisted 
in  the  sleigh  at  the  door.  They  were  soon  fired  upon  by  a 
party  of  Indians,  one  of  the  attendants  killed,  the  doctor  and 
the  other  made  prisoners,  and  conveyed  to  Maiden,  where 
they  were  treated  as  spies,  put  in  close  confinement,  and  sent 
to  Quebec ;  Proctor  inhumanly  remarking  that  the  Indians 
were  excellent  doctors.  The  rites  of  sepulture  were  refused 
to  the  slain.  On  application  to  Colonel  Proctor,  for  leave 
to  bury  the  dead ;  he  replied  that  the  Indians  would  not  per- 
mit it.  The  few  remaining  wretched  inhabitants,  privately 
buried  Captain  Hart,  and  some   others.     This  being  dis- 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATK  WAR.  103 

covered  by  the  Indians,  they  were  threatened  with  instant 
death  if  they  buried  any  more;  and  the  mangled  remains  ot 
the  slain  lay  exposed  in  the  fields,  by  the  sides  of  the  road, 
and  in  the  woods,  to  the  amount  of  upwards  of  two  hundred, 
a  prey  to  the  wild  beasts.  Colonel  Proctor  seems  to  have 
permitted  and  even  encouraged  the  barbarities  of  the  Indians, 
to  induce  them  to  continue  the  war,  and  to  strike  terror  into 
the  American  forces  that  should  be  opposed  to  them.  The 
effect  however  was  the  reverse  of  despondence.  Though 
Kentucky  was  in  mourning  for  the  loss  of  many  of  her  brave 
sons,  yet  on  the  news  of  this  event,  new  volunteers,  in  ample 
numbers,  rallied  around  the  standard  of  their  country,  and 
were  eventually  successful  in  avenging  their  losses. 

After  the  surrender  of  Detroit,  General  Brock  having  com- 
mitted the  civil  and  military  concerns  of  the  Michigan  terri- 
tory to  Colonel  Proctor,  and  appointed  him  commandant  at 
Maiden,  returned  to  the  defence  of  the  Niagara  frontier,  and 
estabhshed  his  head-quarters  at  fort  George.  ^ 

Niagara  Frontier,  The  Niagara  river  runs  a  distance  of 
thirty-five  miles  from  south  to  north,  conveying  the  waters  of 
the  upper  lakes  into  Ontario,  and  dividing  the  British  and 
American  territories.  Nearly  in  the  centre  between  lakes 
Erie  and  Ontario,  is  the  celebrated  Niagara  cataract.  On 
the  American  side  is  the  village  of  Buffalo :  at  the  outlet  of 
lake  Erie,  two  miles  further  down  the  river,  is  the  village  of 
Black  Rock,  which  furnishes  a  harbour  for  vessels  navigating 
the  lake.  At  the  head  of  the  falls  is  Scholosser,  and  seven 
miles  below  is  the  village  of  Lewistown,  which  affords  a  land- 
ing-place for  goods  conveyed  on  lake  Ontario,  and  destined 
for  the  settlements  above.  Near  the  junction  of  the  river 
with  the  lake,  is  the  Niagara  fort  and  village.  This  fortress 
is  an  ancient  French  estabHshment,  erected  for  the  purpose 
of  commanding  the  lake,  and  controlling  the  neighbouring 
Indians.  Between  these  villages,  the  whole  length  of  the 
frontier,  are  scattered  farming  plantations.  On  the  British 
side  between  the  lakes,  is  the  Niagara  peninsula,  on  which 


104  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap  5. 

and  nearly  opposite  Buffalo  stands  fort  Erie,  designed  to 
command  the  entrance  of  the  lake.  Near  the  falls,  and 
opposite  Scholosser,  is  the  village  of  Chippewa,  on  a  creek 
of  the  same  name,  inhabited  by  Canadians  and  Indians. 
Seven  miles  below,  and  opposite  Lewistown,  is  Queenston, 
which  is  the  British  landing-place  for  goods  designed  for  the 
upper  country.  A  little  to  the  southward  of  the  town,  com- 
mence Queenston  heights,  which  extend  to  the  cataract. 
Near  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  opposite  fort  Niagara,  is  fort 
George,  erected  by  the  British  on  their  giving  up  Niagara  to 
the  Americans;  between  that  and  the  lake  is  the  village  of 
Newark.  Scattering  setUements  lie  along  the  river  between 
these  villages  the  whole  length  of  the  frontier;  and  the  inhabit- 
ants on  each  side,  connected  in  business  and  intermarriages, 
were  in  the  constant  habits  of  friendly  intercourse.  This 
frontier  was  the  principal  scene  of  active  war  during  the  whole 
of  the  contest.  I 

Battle  of  Queenston.  In  the  beginning  of  October,  there 
were  assembled  at  Black  Rock  and  Buffalo  thirteen  hun- 
dred newly  enlisted  recruits  under  General  Smyth,  five  hun- 
dred militia  at  the  same  place,  twenty-nine  hundred  militia 
near  Lewistown ;  six  companies  of  field  and  light  artillery, 
amounting  to  three  hundred  men,  and  eight  hundred  infantry 
at  fort  Niagara,  making  an  aggregate  of  five  thousand  eight 
hundred,  and  composing  what  General  Smyth  in  his  procla- 
mations denominates  the  army  of  the  centre,  extending  the 
length  of  the  Niagara  frontier,  the  whole  of  this  force  was 
under  the  command  of  Major  General  Van  Rensselaer,  of 
the  Albany  militia.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  was 
General  Brock,  with  a  force  at  fort  George,  and  other  posts 
extending  to  and  including  fort  Erie^  of  two  thousand  four 
hundred  men,  consisting  of  the  veterans  of  the  41st  and  49th 
regiments,  and  Canadian  flank  companies,  and  four  hundred 
Indians. 

On  the.  8th  of  October,  two  British  armed  brigs,  the  De- 
troit and  Caledonia,  came  down  the  lake  from  Maiden,  and 


XZ12.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAil.  105 

anchored  under  the  guns  of  fort  Erie.  Lieutenant  Elliott,  of 
the  navy,  had  then  just  arrived  at  Black  Rock,  with  fifty  sea- 
men to  superintend  the  naval  operations  in  that  quarter.  On 
the  evening  of  the  9th,  vi^ith  his  seamen  and  a  detachment  of 
fifty  volunteers  from  General  Smyth's  brigade,  he  passed 
over  from  Black  Rock,  boarded,  and  took  the  brigs.  But 
the  wind  not  favouring,  they  drifted  down  the  current  and 
grounded.  The  Detroit,  which  was  formerly  the  American 
brig  Adams,  and  surrendered  by  Hull  at  Detroit,  after  being 
divested  of  most  of  her  military  stores,  was  abandoned  and 
burnt.  The  Caledonia,  being  near  enough  to  be  protected  by 
the  guns  at  Black  Rock,  was  saved  :  she  was  laden  with  firs  to 
the  value  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  This 
brilliant  achievement  was  effected  with  the  loss  of  only  two 
killed,  and  four  wounded.  O  -   i    ■         *    . 

The  general  tenor  of  the  congressional  debates,  and  the 
pubhcations  and  conversation  of  the  day,  had  induced  a  set- 
tled belief,  that  the  Canadas  would  be  a  certain,  easy,  and 
almost  a  bloodless  conquest ;  that  upon  the  appearance  of  a 
respectable  force,  at  any  point  on  the  frontier,  the  Canadians 
in  great  numbers  would  flock  lo  the  American  standard,  and 
assist  in  the  object.  Impressed  with  these  ideas,  the  militia 
and  volunteers  who  had  come  out  but  for  a  short  period,  were 
impatient  to  make  a  descent  on  Canada.  They  insisted  on 
being  permitted  to  attack  and  drive  the  British  from  the  Niag- 
ara peninsula,  and  return  to  their  homes ;  and  many  threat- 
ened to  leave  the  camp,  unless  led  to  immediate  action.  The 
success  of  Lieutenant  Elliott  had  induced  them  to  believe  that 
the  conquest  was  an  easy  one ;  and  that  they  had  only  to 
show  themselves  to  the  enemy  in  brder  to  conquer  them.  In 
compliance  with  their  wishes.  General  Van  Rensselaer  de- 
cided on  making  the  attempt-  The  principal  British  force  wa§ 
at  fort  George;  but  they  had  made  an  establishment,  and 
erected  batteries  on  the  heights  above  Queenston  ;  against ; 
these  batteries,  the  efforts  of  the  American  troops  were  to  be 
4ii'st   directed.      Batteries   were   erected   an   the   American 

14 


106  HISTOHY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chap.  3. 

shore,  to  protect  the  passage  and  landing  of  the  troops. 
The  regular  forces,  under  Colonel  Fenwick  and  Major  Mal- 
lary,  were  ordered  up  to  Lewistown  ;  and  thirteen  boats, 
being  all  that  could  be  procured  at  the  time,  were  provided 
for  crossing.  The  van  of  the  troops  destined  for  the  attack, 
consisted  of  militia,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Solomon 
Van  Rensselaer,  aid  to  the  General ;  a  part  of  the  1 3th 
infantry,  under  Colonel  Christie  ;  a  detachment  of  the  6th  and 
9th,  under  Major  Mallary  ;  the  whole  amounting  to  four  hun- 
dred men.  At  three  o'clock,  on  the  morning  of  the  13th, 
they  proceeded  from  the  camp  at  Lewistown  to  the  place  of 
embarkation.  Colonel  Van  Rensselaer,  to  whom  the  chief 
command  of  the  expedition  was  intrusted,  with  a  hundred  men, 
crossed  over  and  effected  a  landing.  A  grape-shot  from  a 
battery  below  Queenston  which  enfiladed  the  passage,  wound- 
ed Colonel  Christie  in  the  hand ;  his  pilot  became  confused, 
his  boatmen  frightened,  and  he  was  obliged  to  return.  The 
boats  with  Major  Mallary  were  carried  by  the  violence  of  the 
current  below  the  landing  place,  two  of  them  were  taken,  and 
the  others  returned.  In  ascending  the  bank,  Colonel  Van 
Rensselaer  received  four  wounds.  Captains  Armstrong, 
Wool,  and  Malcom,  were  also  wounded  and  Lieutenant  Val- 
leau  and  Ensign  Morris,  killed.  A  party  of  British  troops 
having  issued  from  an  old  fort  below  Queenston,  were  fired 
upon  by  the  Americans  and  compelled  to  retreat.  The  firing 
from  the  batteries  on  the  heights,  soon  obliged  the  Americans 
to  take  shelter  under  the  bank.  To  Colonel  Van  Rensselaer, 
\vho  lay  on  the  bank  severely  wounded,  application  was  made 
for  orders.  He  directed  the  batteries  to  be  immediately 
stormed.  The  men  were  rallied,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Wool,  mounted  the  rocks  on 
the  right  of  the  batteries,  and  took  them.  The  guns  were 
ordered  to  be  turned  upon  the  enemy,  but  were  found  to  be 
spiked.  The  remainder  of  the  detachment  now  joined  Cap- 
tain Wool.  Both  parties  were  considerably  reinforced,  and 
the  conflict  grew  severe  at  various  points.     Many  of  the  Brit- 


15112.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  107 

ish  took  shelter  behind  a  guard-house,  from  whence  a  pietlfe  of 
ordnance  was  briskly  served,  but  the  fire  from  the  batteries 
on  the  American  side  soon  silenced  it.  The  British  then  re- 
tired behind  a  large  stone  house,  but  were  soon  routed  and 
driven  from  the  hill  in  every  direction.  General  Brock  ral- 
lied the  troops  at  Queenston,  and  with  reinforcements,  led 
them  round  the  hill  in  rear  of  the  batteries ;  Captian  Wool 
discerning  this,  detached  one  hundred  and  sixty  men  to  meet 
them ;  these  were  driven  back.  Being  reinforced,  they  returned 
to  the  attack,  and  were  again  driven  by  the  British  to  the  pre- 
cipice which  forms  the  bank  of  the  Niagara  above  Queenston. 
Here  the  British  pressing  upon  them  with  double  their  num- 
bers, and  no  opportunity  of  retreating,  an  officer  placed  a 
white  handkerchief  upon  the  point  of  a  bayonet,  and  raised 
it  as  a  flag,  with  intention  to  surrender.  Captain  Wool  imme- 
diately tore  it  off,  rallied  his  men,  and  returned  to  the  charge. 
The  British  troops  were  in  turn  routed. 

General  Brock  slain.  General  Brock,  in  endeavouring  to 
rally  them,  was  struck  by  three  balls,  and  instandy  killed. 
His  aid.  Colonel  M'Donald,  the  attorney  general  of  Upper 
Canada,  was  mortally  wounded  by  his  side.  By  ten  o'clock, 
the  British  were  completely  driven  from  the  heights.  The 
American  line  re-formed,  and  flanking  parties  sent  out.  The 
victory  now  appeared  complete,  and  General  Van  Rensselaer 
porceeded  to  take  measures  to  secure  the  conquest.  At  two 
o'clock,  General  Wadsworth  of  the  mihtia,  with  Colonels 
Scott,  Christie,  and  Major  Mallary,  crossed  over  and  took  the 
command.  Captain  Wool  was  directed  to  retire,  and  have 
his  wounds  dressed.  He  crossed  the  river  for  that  purpose, 
and  soon  returned  to  the  field.  About  three  o'clock  a  large 
party  of  Indians  appeared  pouring  out  of  Chippewa,  and 
with  their  savage  yells,  commenced  a  furious  attack.  The 
Americans  at  first  gave  way,  but  were  soon  rallied,  and 
charged  the  savages,  who  directly  fled  to  the  woods,  leaving 
one  of  their  chiefs  a  prisoner,  and  several  dead  on  the  ground. 
Scarcely  had  this  battle  ended,  when  a  large  reinforeemenl; 


108  HISTOEY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  CuAr.  ^ 

ivUh  artillery  arrived  from  fort  George,  and  the  battle  was 
renewed  with  increased  sevetity. 

Militia  refuse  to  cross  the  River.  Most  of  the  events  of  the 
flay  were  in  view  of  Lewistown.  The  militia  who  had  not 
Crossed  over,  had  now  seen  enough  of  war.  Their  zeal  for 
the  Canadian  conquest  had  abated.  They  had  discovered 
that  the  constitution  did  not  require  them  to  go  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  United  States.  Several  boat-loads  which  had 
embarked,  returned,  and  no  more  could  be  induced  to  go. 
General  Van  Rensselaer  returned  to  the  American  side,  and 
by  every  means  of  persuasion  and  authority,  promising  and 
threatening,  endeavoured  to  bring  them  over  to  secure  the  vic- 
tory, but  to  no  effect.  Twelve  hundred,  whose  presence  only 
on  the  opposite  bank,  would  have  decided  the  fortune  of  the 
day,  stood  on  the  American  shore,  inactive  spectators  of  the 
slaughter  and  capture  of  their  brethren.  The  regular  troops, 
uoder  General  Smyth,  who  had  been  ordered  down  from  Black 
Rock,  had  not  arrived;  and  the  Americans  on  the  heights 
were  left  to  protect  themselves.  At  this  time  General  Van 
Rensselaer  addressed  a  note  to  General  Wadsworth,  inform- 
ing him  that  it  was  out  of  his  power  to  send  him  succours,  and 
•^advising  him  to  retreat  to  the  river,  where  boats  should  be 
provided  to  take  them  over.  The  gallant  band  fought  their 
way  to  the  river  against  thrice  their  numbers,  but  on  arriving 
there  no  boats  were  to  be  found.  The  same  panic  had  struck 
the  boatmen  ;  not  a  boat  could  be  manned  to  bring  them  off, 
and  the  whole  were  obliged  to  surrender.  * 

Surrender  of  the  Americans.  Three  hundred  and  eighty- 
six  regulars,  and  three  hundred  and  sixty-eight  mihtia  w^ere 
made  prisoners ;  the  number  killed  was  not  exactly  ascer- 
tained, but  supposed  to  be  about  ninety.  The  whole  loss  in 
Itilled,  wounded,  prisoners,  and  missing,  was  estimated  at 
a  thousand.     General  Brock  was  conveyed  to  fort  George, 


*  General  Van  Rei»sselaer"'s  letter  to  General  Dearborn,  of  Octo\»er 
14, 1812. 


1812.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  109 

and  interred  on  the  15th  with  military  honours;  the  guns  of 
fort  Niagara,  as  well  as  fort  George,  fired  during  the  cere- 
mony. 

General  SmytWs  Proclamation,  Most  of  the  militia,  who 
were  not  made  prisoners,  were  discharged,  and  on^the  24th 
of  October,  General  Van  Rensselaer  resigned  the  command 
to  General  Smyth,  and  retired  from  the  service.  On  the  10th 
of  November,  General  Smyth  issued  his  first  proclamation  to 
the  citizens  of  New- York,  informing  them  that  one  army  had 
been  lost  by  a  precipitate  attempt  to  pass  over  at  the  strong- 
est point  of  the  enemy's  fines  with  most  incompetent  means. 
That  the  commanders  in  that  expedition  were  destitute  of 
theory  and  experience  in  the  art  of  war.  That  in  a  few  days 
the  troops  under  his  command  would  plant  the  American 
standard  in  Canada ;  and  calling  upon  them  to  join  him  on 
horse-back  or  on  foot,  in  companies,  half  companies,  in  pairs, 
or  singly,  and  assuring  them  of  the  most  brilliant  success.** 
This  proclamation  was  seconded  by  an  address  from  General 
Peter  B.  Porter,  of  Black  Rock,  to  the  men  of  the  counties  of 
Ontario  and  Genesee,  calfing  upon  them  to  join  him  in  the 
expedition,  and  assuring  them  that  he  should  join  General 
Smyth;  "and  that  a  vigorous  campaign  of  one  month  would 
relieve  their  brethren  on  the  frontier  from  the  calamities  inci- 
dent to  those  who  are  placed  near  the  seat  of  war,  palsy  the 
savage  hand  that  was  then  wielding  the  scalping-knife,  restore 
peace  to  that  section  of  the  state,  and  redeem  the  tarnished 
reputation  of  the  country."  These  applications  to  the  valour 
and  patriotism  of  the  citizens  of  the  western  section  of  the 
state  of  New-York  were  not  made  in  vain.  A  respectable 
force  volunteered  under  General  Porter  for  the  expedition. 
On  the  17th  of  November,  General  Smyth  issued  a  second 
proclamation  addressed  to  the  army  of  the  centre  under  his 
command,  assuring  them  that  the  time  was  now  at  hand, 
when  they  should  cross  the  Niagara,  to  conquer  Canada,  and 

.  *  Smyth's  first. prochimation>  '    ' 


]  10  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  5. 

secure  peace  to  the  American  frontier.  As  they  were  about 
to  enter  a  country  which  was  soon  to  become  one  of  the 
United  States,  he  enjoined  them  to  respect  private  property, 
promising  to  divide  among  them  whatever  booty  they  should 
obtain  agreeable  to  the  usages  of  war.* 

Preparations  for  Invasion,  On  the  27th  of  November,  the 
military  force  collected  at  Black  Rock,  under  General  Smyth, 
prepared  for  the  invasion  of  Canada,  amounted  to  four  thou- 
sand five  hundred  effective  men,  consisting  of  New- York 
volunteers  under  General  Porter,  and  regulars  and  volunteers 
from  Pennsylvania  and  Baltimore.  Eighty-five  boats  were 
prepared  for  crossing  the  river,  capable  of  transporting  at 
once  the  necessary  artillery  and  three  thousand  five  hundred 
men.  On  the  night  of  the  27th,  two  parties  were  sent  over, 
one  under  Colonel  Boerlster,  and  the  other  under  Captain 
King,  assisted  by  a  company  of  marines,  under  Lieutenant 
Angus,  to  destroy  the  British  batteries.  They  effectually  ac- 
complished this  object,  routed  the  enemy,  spiked  their  guns, 
and  drove  them  from  the  shore.  Captain  King,  in  attempting 
to  return,  was  captured,  with  two  boats  belonging  to  his  party. 
Colonel  Winder,  with  a  party  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  men, 
in  attempting  to  land  at  a  difficult  point  on  the  river,  was  pre- 
vented by  the  rapidity  of  the  current,  and  obliged  to  return 
to  the  American  side.  The  general  embarkation  commenced 
in  the  morning  of  the  28th,  but  was  not  completed  until 
afternoon.  They  then  moved  up  the  stream  from  the  navy 
yard  to  Black  Rock,  and  were  ordered  by  General  Smyth  to 
disembark  and  dine.  After  dinner,  the  expedition  was  post- 
poned to  a  future  day.  This  attempt  gave  the  enemy  full 
notice  of  the  plans  of  the  American  general.  The  two  fol- 
lowing days  were  employed  in  preparations  for  a  second  at- 
tempt. At  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  Decem- 
ber, the  embarkation  commenced  a  second  time ;  the  regulars 
on  the  right,  General  Tanehills's  brigade  in  the  centre,  and 

*  Smyth's  se<:ond  proclamation. 


J8I2.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.   ;  11 1 

the  New- York  volunteers  on  the  left.  General  Porter  accom- 
panied by  Majors  Chapin  and  Macomb,  Captain  Mills  of  the 
cavalry,  and  Adjutant  Chace,  with  two  pilots,  took  his  station 
in  the  front  boat,  hoisted  his  flag,  and  advanced  to  the  head 
of  the  line  to  lead  the  expedition. 

Expedition  abandoned.  The  troops,  in  fine  spirits  and  in 
eager  expectation,  awaited  their  orders  from  General  Smyth, 
when,  after  considerable  delay,  they  were  given,  not  to  pro- 
ceed to  the  Canada  shore,  but  to  disembark  and  go  into  win- 
ter-quarters. Nothing  could  exceed  the  chagrin  and  disap- 
pointment of  the  troops  upon  this  occasion  ;  disorder  and  in- 
subordination ensued  ;  General  Smyth's  life  was  threatened, 
and  in  imminent  danger ;  the  militia  disbanded  and  sent 
home ;  and  General  Smyth,  finding  that  the  Canadas  were 
not  to  be  taken  by  proclamation,  and  being  disinclined  to 
make  use  of  more  powerful  means,  retired  from  the  service. 

Duel  between  Generals  Smyth  and  Porter.  General  Porter 
imputed  the  abandonment  of  the  expedition  altogether  to 
the  cowardice  of  General  Smyth.  This  ended  in  a  challenge 
from  the  latter,  and  a  duel  between  the  two  generals.  Not- 
withstanding the  articles  of  war  prohibited  duelling  in  the 
^rmy,  under  the  severest  penalties,  the  American  nation  was 
doomed  to  witness  the  first  and  second  in  command  in  the 
army  of  the  centre,  violating  the  articles  of  war,  under  which 
they  acted,  in  its  most  essential  provisions.  On  the  12th  of 
December,  the  two  generals,  with  their  select  friends,  sur- 
geons, and  seconds,  at  two  in  the  afternoon,  in  view  of  their 
army,  put  off  in  two  barges  from  their  encampment,  to  Grand 
Island,  landed,  retired  a  little  distance  from  the  shore,  marked 
out  their  ground  at  twelve  paces  distance,  and  exchanged 
shots.  The  surgeons  immediately  proceeded  to  examine  the 
effects  ;  happily  the  balls,  if  any  there  were,  had  missed  their 
objects,  and  the  lives  of  the  two  generals  were  preserved  to 
their  country  for  future  achievements.  The  seconds  inter- 
fered and  produced  a  reconciliation.  General  Porter  acknow- 
ledged that  he  was  now  convinced  that  General  Smyth  was  a 


112  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  5^ 

man  of  courage;  and  Smyth,  that  he  knew  nothing  derogatory 
to  the  character  of  General  Porter,  as  a  gentleman  and  an 
officer.  The  two  generals  gave  each  other  the  hand,  con- 
gratulating themselves  that  they  were  still  alive  and  unhurt. 
The  partie.s  returned  as  from  an  excursion  of  pleasure,  and 
ended  the  day  in  a  convivial  entertainment ;  the  duel,  very 
fortunately  for  the  combatants,  was  as  bloodless  as  the  expe- 
dition which  occasioned  it.  Nations,  long  accustomed  to  the 
arts  of  war,  punish  with  the  most  rigid  severity,  any  viola- 
tion of  the  laws  established  for  the  government  of  their  armies; 
and  for  obvious  reasons,  are  the  more  inflexible  in  inflicting 
the  punishment,  when  the  offence  proceeds  from  officers  of  the 
highest  grade.  The  celebrated  Prussian  monarch,  Frederick 
III.,  on  being  applied  to  by  two  of  his  general  officers  for  per- 
mission to  fight  a  duel,  readily  consented,  but  informed  them, 
that  a  file  of  his  sharp  shooters  would  attend,  and  make  the 
second  fire.  This  led  to  an  immediate  reconciliation,  and  pre- 
vented further  applications.  But  the  mild  and  peaceful  char- 
acter of  the  American  government  induced  them  altogether 
to  overlook  this  oflfence,  and  suffer  the  example  to  remain  a 
precedent  for  furture  occasions. 

The  general  depot  for  supplies  for  the  armies  of  the  north 
and  west,  was  fixed  at  Albany;  and  the  rendezvous  for  recruits, 
at  Greenbush,  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Hudson.  Here 
was  a  central  point  where  they  might  be  directed  to  the  west 
or  north,  as  circumstances  required.  The  operations  of  both 
were  under  the  direction  of  General  Dearborn,  who  fixed  his 
head-quarters  at  Albany.  This  point,  three  hundred  miles 
distant  from  the  nearest  scene  of  action,  was  selected  by  the 
commanding  general,  where  the  operations  of  the  troops  un- 
der his  command  might  be  directed  without  the  inconvenience 
of  personal  exposure;  and  the  responsibility,  in  case  of  the  fail- 
ure of  any  expedition,  might  rest  more  immediately  upon  the 
officers  present  in  command.  The  army  of  the  north  was 
under  the  immediate  command  of  General  Bloomfield,  whose 
liead-quarters  were  at  Plattsburgh.     This  army  consisted  of 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  113 

from  two  to  four  thousand  men,  and  as  no  enemy  was  nearer 
than  Montreal,  a  distance  of  sixty  miles,  with  a  wilderness 
and  the  river  St.  Lawrence  intervening,  they  had  leisure  to 
perfect  themselves  in  military  tactics.  During  the  autumn 
they  made  several  incursions  into  Canada  in  quest  of  an  ene- 
my, but  found  none.  This  was  an  army  of  reserve,  designed 
to  form  a  junction  with  the  armies  of  the  north-west,  and  of 
the  centre,  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  in  their  progress  to  Montreal. 
It  was  confidently  expected  that  the  western  regions  of  Up- 
per Canada  would  yield  to  the  American  force  upon  the 
first  impression.  The  armies  of  the  north-west  and  of  the 
centre  were  then  to  concentrate,  and  proceed  with  a  force 
which  should  "  look  down  all  opposition,"  to  the  St.  Law- 
rence. Here  they  were  to  be  joined  by  the  army  of  the 
north,  and  long  before  the  close  of  the  campaign  establish 
their  head-quarters  at  Montreal.  To  provide  for  these  armies 
in  their  advance,  a  depot  was  established  at  Ogdensburgh,  on 
the  St.  Lawrence,  one  hundred  and  thirty  miles  from  that 
city.  On  the  4th  of  October,  this  post  was  attacked  by  the 
British  from  Prescot  on  the  opposite  shore,  with  a  view  to  de- 
stroy these  stores.  It  was  gallantly  and  successfully  defend- 
ed by  the  New- York  militia  under  General  Brown  ;  two 
British  boats  were  destroyed,  and  the  residue  obliged  precipi- 
tately  to  retreat. 

The  upper  territories  of  Canada,  including  Montreal,  being 
conquered,  the  lower  province,  it  was  expected,  would  of 
course  fall,  or  if  the  British  were  suffered  to  retain  possession, 
it  must  be  of  very  little  consequence  after  their  western  fur 
trade  was  annihilated.  These  events  were  expected  to  bring 
on  a  negotiation  in  the  course  of  the  winter,  which  would 
probably  end  in  the  restoration  of  the  Canadas,  and  a  re- 
cognition of  all  the  American  maritime  claims. 

These  plans,  so  flattering  in  theory,  and  promising  in  pros- 
pect, utterly  failed  in  the  execution.  Misfortune  seems  to 
have  attended  every  stage  of  the  campaign  of  1 812.  Instead 
of  realizing  those  pleasing  anticipations,  it  ended  witli  the  less 

15 


114  mSXORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Ghap.  5. 

of  the  important  fortresses  of  Detroit  and  Mackinaw,  and  the 
whole  territory  of  Michigan  ;  of  three  armies  captured,*  anti 
more  than  six  thousand  men  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners. 
No  territory  had  been  gained;  every  conflict  with  the  British, 
resulted  in  the  defeat  of  the  Americans,  and  the  prospects  of 
peace  had  been  removed  at  a  hopeless  distance. 

Causes  of  the  Failure  of  the  Campaign  of  I S12,  A  variety 
of  causes  operated  to  produce  these  unfortunate  results. 

Resources  for  the  Defence  of  the  Canadas.  The  two  pro- 
vinces of  the  Canadas,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war, 
contained  a  white  population  of  three  hundred  thousand  ;  al- 
lowing every  tenth  person  to  be  subject  to  bear  arms,  their 
mihtia  would  amount  to  thirty  thousand.  The  regular  troops, 
in  consequence  of  the  appearances  of  war,  had  been  aug- 
mented from  three  to  five  thousand,  and  admitted  of  consid- 
erable further  increase,  as  circumstances  might  require,  from 
their  other  American  possessions,  and  from  Europe. 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  Indian  population  must  be 
estimated  as  under  British  influence,  and  capable  of  being 
brought  to  act  against  the  United  States.  These  people  have 
ever  been  hostile  to  the  progressive  settlement  of  the  whites  : 
their  chiefs  have  supposed  that  they  saw  in  them  the  ultimate 
extinction  of  their  race,  and  were  ever  ready  to  listen  to  the 
suggestions  and  promises  of  the  British,  to  check  the  pro- 
gress of  the  settlements,  and  restore  to  the  Indians  their 
lands.  By  those  suggestions,  by  supplying  them  with 
arms,  encouraging  their  natural  disposition  to  war,  and  in- 
dulging their  propensity  to  massacre  and  plunder,  the  British 
Were  able  to  command  the  services  of  five  thousand  Indian 
warriors. 

Quebec  was  strongly  fortified,  and  considered  impregna- 
ble. Strong  garrisons  were  established  at  Kingston,  Mon- 
treal, and  several  other  points.  The  British  possessed  the 
means  of  transportation  in  a  much   superior  degree  to  the 

*  IIull's,  Van  Rensselaer's,  and  WinchesterV. 


181^.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  "115. 

Americans.  The  freight  from  Portsmouth,  in  England,  to 
Kingston,  would  not  amount  to  one  fourth  as  much  as  the 
transportation  from  New- York  to  Sackett's  Harbour,  neces- 
sarily embracing  a  land  carriage  of  one  hundred  and  eighty 
miles.  This  gave  them  immense  advantages  in  ship-building 
on  the  lakes,  and  in  every  military  operation. 

The  population  of  the  Canadas  was  generally  loyal.  It 
had  been  the  policy  of  Great  Britain,  to  encourage  settlements 
in  these  provinces,  by  liberal  grants  of  land  to  settlers,  at 
mere  nominal  prices,  by  exemption  from  taxes,  and  by  com- 
mercial privileges.  No  disposition  appeared  in  the  great 
body  of  the  Canadian  people  to  exchange  the  British  for  the 
American  government ;  and  wherever  it  did  appear,  it  was  ef- 
fectually checked  by  the  abandonment  of  the  unfortunate  Ca- 
nadians who  had  joined  General  Hull's  standard,  and  their  ex- 
ecution as  traitors  by  the  British  general.  The  real  strength 
of  the  Canadas,  the  disposition  of  the  inhabitants,  and  the 
means  of  defence  were  not  accurately  known  and  estimated 
by  the  American  government.  The  conquest  should  not  have 
been  attempted  with  a  less  force  than  twenty  thousand  effec- 
tive regular  troops. 

State  of  Peace.  A  state  of  profound  peace  for  thirty  years 
had  rendered  the  art  of  war  in  a  great  measure  unknown. 
Most  of  the  heroes  of  the  revolution  had  paid  the  debt  of 
nature,  those  who  survived,  had  long  since  lost  the  fire  and 
vigour  of  youth.  The  organization  of  the  army  was  a  matter 
of  extreme  difficulty.  Most  of  the  higher  grades  were  filled 
with  revolutionary  officers.  Government  indeed  availed  them- 
selves of  their  experience,  but  suffered  much  from  want  of 
energy.  The  subordinate  stations  were  necessarily  fiHed 
with  men  without  experience.  From  the  mass  of  applica- 
tions with  which  the  bureau  of  the  secretary  of  war  was 
filled,  the  executive  had  a  choice  of  men  ;  but  where  ther^ 
had  been  no  experience,  it  was  impossible  to  discern  where 
that  coolness,  judgment,  and  courage,  so  necessary  to  the  fip- 
ished  olfiper,  resided.     A  selection  was  made  generally  of 


116  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chip,  5, 

judicious  and  brave  men.  They  had  then  the  art  of  war  to 
learn,  in  the  field,  in  the  face  of  an  enemy,  and  at  the  head  of 
undisciplined  troops.  They  had  to  contend  with  a  power, 
who  had  been  constantly  at  war,  for  twenty  years,  and  with 
troops  who  had  seen  much  service.  The  celebrated  General 
Brock,  and  the  forty-ninth  regiment,  had  fought  in  Egypt, 
Their  officers  had  been  selected  from  soldiers  of  merit,  and 
trained  to  discipline. 

Another  cause  of  misfortune  was  a  deficiency  in  the  intelli- 
gence department.  Correct  information  of  the  strength  and 
position  of  the  enemy,  is  a  necessary  part  of  the  art  of  war; 
and  an  organized  plan  for  obtaining  such  intelligence,  forms 
one  important  ingredient  in  the  military  system.  In  this 
respect,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  there  was  a  great 
deficiency,  and  the  enemy's  plans  were  consequently  unknown, 
and  their  strength  liable  to  be  under  or  over-rated,  either  of 
which  must  prove  equally  fatal.  In  the  case  of  General 
Hull,  it  was  greatly  over-rated,  and  produced  the  surrender 
of  his  army  to  an  inferior  force.  In  the  case  of  General 
Smyth,  the  same  cause  produced  irresolution  and  inaction. 
In  the  instance  of  General  Winchester,  it  was  underrated,  and 
an  army  totally  defeated  and  lost  thereby. 

Structure  of  the  American  Government,  The  organization 
of  the  American  government,  adapted  to  all  the  purposes  of 
peace  and  defence,  is  nowise  calculated  for  a  war  of  con- 
quest. The  physical  force  of  the  nation,  residing  in  the 
militia,  is  under  the  control  of  the  states,  and  not  subject  to 
the  general  government  for  the  purposes  of  offensive  war. 

When  an  enemy  is  collected  on  the  border,  threatening 
invasion,  no  doubt  the  mihtia  may  constitutionally  be  required 
to  pass  the  lines  and  dislodge  him  as  a  means  of  preventing 
invasion,  or  where  he  has  already  invaded,  to  pursue  him 
beyond  the  borders.  However  much  the  militia  under  Gen- 
eral Van  Rensselaer  may  be  censured  for  carrying  their 
commander  lo  an  immediate  invasion  contrary  to  his  better 
judgment,  inrTucing  their  brethren  in  arms  to  cross  the  river. 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  117 

relying  on  their  support,  and  "  deserting  them  in  their  utmost 
need ;"  yet  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  they  decided  cor- 
rectly on  their  rights,  when  they  judged  that  the  constitution 
did  not  require  them  to  pass  the  lines  for  the  purposes  of 
conquest.  With  a  military  force  thus  composed,  no  foreign 
conquest  can  be  achieved  or  retained. 

War  is  to  be  carried  on  by  the  United  States  by  an  army 
obtained  only  by  voluntary  enlistment.  The  soldier,  for  the 
period  of  his  enlistment,  places  his  life  and  liberty  at  the 
absolute  control  of  the  government;  and  this  power  is  to  be 
exercised  by  officers  unknown  to  him.  In  the  crowded  pop- 
ulation of  Europe  the  army  is  often  a  retreat  from  starvation, 
and  no  difficulty  is  experienced  in  procuring  soldiers,  but  the 
happy  situation  of  that  class  of  people  in  the  American  soci- 
ety, to  whom  proposals  for  enlistment  must  be  addressed,  and 
who  are  able  by  one  day's  labour  to  procure  subsistence  for 
four,  was  a  powerful  and  indeed  an  insurmountable  obstacle 
to  raising  an  adequate  army.  Not  one  fourth  of  the  25,000 
men  which  were  directed  to  be  raised  by  the  act  of  Congress 
of  the  11th  of  January,  1812,  ever  reached  the  army  that 
season;  and  three  years'  faithful  trial,  with  liberal  wages  and 
extravagant  bounties,  has  proved  beyond  a  doubt,  that  the 
free  and  happy  yeomanry  of  America  are  not  to  be  induced 
to  exchange  the  ease  and  plenty  of  home,  for  the  dangers  and 
privations  of  the  camp.  The  difficulty  of  procuring  enlist- 
ments rendered  a  resort  to  the  militia  necessary,  to  accom- 
plish the  objects  of  the  campaign.  The  conduct  of  those 
under  General  Hopkins  on  the  Wabash,  and  General  Van 
Rensselaer  on  the  Niagara,  developed  the  nature  and  value 
of  that  species  of  force.  And  although  the  militia  of  the  west, 
in  many  instances,  manifested  a  laudable  spirit  of  patriotism 
and  courage  ;  yet  the  event  fully  demonstrated  that  no  militia, 
however  ardent  or  patriotic,  are  to  be  relied  on  for  the  pur- 
poses of  foreign  conquest. 

Deficiency  of  Funds,  The  funds  requisite  to  supply  the 
war  expenditures  are  to  be  drawn  from  the  people  by  direct 


118  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  -5* 

taxes,  imposed  by  their  immediate  representatives,  who  are 
themselves  to  bear  their  proportion  of  the  burdens.  Under 
such  circumstances,  taxes  are  often  laid  with  so  sparing  a 
hand,  and  at  so  late  a  period,  as  to  defeat  the  object.  With- 
out adequate  funds,  seasonably  procured  and  applied,  every 
operation  must  fail.  The  war  estimates  and  appropri«klions 
for  the  year  1812,  amounted  to  eleven  millions  of  dollars. 
Not  one  half  of  which  was  procured  by  the  loans  which  were 
authorized  for  the  purpose,  and  the  actual  expenditures  more 
than  doubled  the  estimates. 

The  twelfth  Congress,  whose  first  acts  were  to  declare  war, 
and  incur  the  attendant  expenses,  and  whose  next  duty  it  was 
to  provide  adequate  means,  suffered  their  terms  to  expire 
without  providing  the  necessary  funds,  and  threw  the  odium 
of  laying  the  direct  taxes  and  internal  duties  on  their 'suc- 
cessors. The  cautious  money-lender,  whose  interest  always 
takes  precedency  of  his  patriotism,  observing  this  reluctance 
in  Congress  to  provide  for  the  interest,  withheld  his  loans,, 
and  money  was  obtained  only  at  great  sacrifices,  in  such 
small  quantities,  and  at  so  late  periods,  as  very  mtich  to 
embarrass  the  operations  of  the  war. 


/ 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Pian  of  Defence  on  the  Sea-board. — ^American  Frigates  sail.— Cruise  of 
Commodore  Rodgers's  Squadron. — Cruise  of  the  Constitution. — Cap- 
ture of  the  Guerriere. — Cruise  of  the  Essex. — Capture  of  the  Alert. — 
Capture  of  the  Frolic :  and  of  the  Wasp  and  Frolic  by  the  Poic- 
tiers. — Capture  of  the  Macedonian. — Arrival  of  the  United  States 
and  Macedonian. — The  Flag-  of  the  Macedonian  sent  to  Washington. — 
Second  Cruise  of  the  Constitution. — Capture  of  the  Java. — Rule  for 
distributing  Prize  Money. — Success  of  Privateers. — Number  and 
Value  of  British  Vessels  captured  in  1812. — East-Florida  Frontier. — 
Colonel  Newman's  Expedition. — Repeal  of  the  Orders  in  Council. — 
First  Proposition  of  Mr.  Russell  for  an  Armistice. — Lord  Castlereagh's 
Reply. — Second  Proposition  and  Reply. — Admiral  Warren's  Proposi- 
tion for  an  Armistice. — Mr.  Monroe's  Reply. 

On  the  sea-board,  the  regular  forces  having  been  mostly 
withdrawn,  and  sent  to  the  Canadian  frontier,  the  militia  were 
relied  on  for  defence.  Those  slates  which  had  complied  with 
the  President's  requisition,  had  detachments  of  their  militia 
stationed  at  the  most  exposed  points.  Massachusetts,  Con- 
necticut, and  Rhode-Island)  were  left  to  provide  for  the 
defence  of  their  coast  by  occasional  calls  of  their  militia. 
There  were,  however,  no  attempts  to  invade  the  coast  during 
the  year  1812. 

The  feelings  of  the  American  nation  which  had  been  deeply 
wounded  by  the  ill  success  of  their  arms  on  the  frontier,  were 
highly  gratified  by  the  brilliant  achievements  of  their  navy. 
When  their  little  squadrons  left  their  ports  to  contend  with  the 
haughty  mistress  of  the  ocean,  every  breast  was  filled  with 
anxiety.  The  British  naval  commanders  had  boasted  that 
they  would  drive  the  little  striped  bunting  of  the  States  from 
the  ocean.  But  the  American  frigates  had  not  been  long  at 
sea,  before  news  of  a  character  calculated  to  humble  British 
pride,  and  raise  the  American  spirit,  was  received. 


120  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  5. 

Previous  to  the  declaration  of  war,  preparation  had  been 
made  to  send  to  sea,  immediately  on  that  event,  all  the 
frigates  and  armed  vessels  that  could  be  put  in  readiness,  to 
protect  American  commerce,  and  meet  the  enemy  on  the 
ocean. 

Cruise  of  Commodore  Rodgers^s  Squadron,  On  the  21st  of 
June,  a  squadron,  consisting  of  the  President,  the  United 
States,  the  Congress,  the  Hornet,  and  iVrgus,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Commodore  Rodgers,  sailed  from  New-York  on  a 
cruise  in  quest  of  a  convoy  of  British  merchantmen,  then  on 
their  way  from  Jamaica  to  England.  On  the  23d,  off  Nan- 
tucket, they  fell  in  with  the  Belvidere  British  frigate,  to  which 
they  gave  chase.  The  President,  being  the  head-most  ship, 
commenced  a  running  fire,  which  continued  two  hours.  Night 
coming  on,  the  Belvidere,  by  lightening  ship,  and  crowding 
sail,  escaped.  The  squadron  pursued  the  convoy  to  within 
twenty  hours  sail  of  the  British  Channel ;  missing  their  object, 
they  then  steered  for  the  island  of  Madeira,  passed  close 
under  that  island,  thence  by  the  way  of  the  Azores  to  New- 
foundland, and  returned  to  Boston  on  the  1st  of  September, 
having  made  seven  captures,  and  one  re-capture  during  the 
cruise.  Though  this  cruise  was  not  so  successful  in  captures 
as  was  expected,  owing  in  a  great  degree  to  the  haziness  of 
the  weather,  yet  it  was  of  great  service  in  protecting  home- 
ward bound  American  vessels.* 

Cruise  of  the  Constitution.  Commodore  Hull,  in  the  Con- 
stitution, sailed  from  the  Chesapeake  on  the  12th  of  July; 
on  the  1 7th,  off  Egg  Harbour,  was  chased  by  a  ship  of  the 
line  and  four  frigates.  These  ships  approached  rapidly  with 
a  fine  breeze,  while  it  was  nearly  calm  about  the  Constitu- 
tion. At  sun  rise  of  the  eighteenth,  escape  appeared  hope- 
less, as  they  had  neared  her  considerably  during  the  night, 
preparation  was  then  made  for  action.  The  enemy  still 
drawing  near,  another   effort  was  made  to  escape.     Boats 

*  Commodore  Rodgers's  letter  to  the  secretai^-  of  th^  navy. 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  121 

were  sent  ahead  with  anchors  for  the  purpose  of  warping. 
It  was  now  nearly  a  calm  with  the  British,  and  they  resorted 
to  the  same  expedient.  The  chase  continued  for  two  days, 
partly  saih'ng  with  light  breezes,  and  partly  by  warping. 
On  the  twentieth,  the  squadron  was  left  entirely  out  of 
sight,  and  the  Constitution  made  the  harbour  of  Boston.  On 
the  second  of  August,  Commodore  Hull  again  put  to  sea, 
cruised  along  the  eastern  coast  as  far  as  the  bay  of  Fundy, 
in  expectation  of  falling  in  with  British  frigates  in  that  direc- 
tion. Not  finding  any,  he  proceeded  to  take  a  station  ofl'the 
gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  to  intercept  the  Quebec  trade.  Having 
here  taken  two  or  three  merchantmen,  he  proceeded  to  the 
southward. 

Capture  of  the  Guerrkre.  On  the  nineteenth,  he  felt  in  with 
the  British  frigate  Guerriere,  rated  at  thirty-eight,  but  mount- 
ing fifty-four  guns.  This  vessel  had  hoisted  at  her  mast  head, 
a  flag  with  her  name,  the  Warrior,  in  large  characters,  and 
on  another  was  inscribed  the  words,  not  the  Little  Belt.  She 
had  looked  into  several  ports  in  quest  of  American  frigates, 
and  given  a  challenge  to  all  vessels  of  her  class.  On  the 
Constitution's  heaving  in  sight,  the  British  commander  assem- 
bled his  crew,  pointed  to  them  the  object  of  their  wishes,  as- 
sured them  of  an  easy  victory,  and  being  answered  by  three 
hearty  cheers,  backened  sail,  prepared  for  action,  and  await- 
ed her  approach.  The  two  ships  continued  manoeuvering  to 
obtain  the  weathergage  of  each  other  for  three  quarters  of 
an  hour,  the  Guerriere  occasionally  firing  broadsides.  The 
Constitution  reserved  her  fire  until  within  about  four  musket- 
shot,  when  she  opened  her  broadsides  in  quick  succession 
upon  her  antagonist.  The  mizen-mast  of  the  Guerriere  was 
directly  carried  away,  and  her  decks  were  sw€pt  by  a  raking 
fire.  In  thirty  minutes  from  the  time  the  Constitution  fairly 
got  along  side  of  her,  every  mast  and  spar  was  gone,  and  she 
lay  an  unmanageable  wreck.  The  firing  ceased,  and  she  sur- 
rendered. She  was  so  much  damaged  as  to  render  it  impos- 
sible to  bring  her  into  port,  and  the  next  day  was  cleared  of 

16 


iftt  mSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  B- 

the  prisoners,  and  every  thing  valuable,  and  set  fire  to  and 
blown  up.  The  damage  sustained  by  the  Constitution  was  of 
so  little  consequence,  that  she  was  prepared  for  action  the 
next  day,  when  another  ship  appeared  in  sight.  The  Con^ 
stitution  had  seven  killed,  and  the  same  number  wounded  ; 
the  Guerriere  nineteen  killed  and  sixty  wounded.*  The  news 
of  this  brilliant  victory,  the  firsi  on  the  ocean,  was  received 
with  rapturous  applauses  by  the  American  people.  Every 
mark  of  respect  was  shown  Commodore  Hull,  and  his  gallant 
officers  and  crew.  Congress  granted  fifty  thousand  dollars 
to  the  crew  for  the  loss  of  their  prize,  and  the  executive  pro^ 
Uioted  several  of  their  officers.  The  event  was  as  mortify- 
ing to  the  British,  as  gratifying  to  the  Americans.  For  thirty 
years  they  never  had  before  lost  a  frigate  in  any  thing  like  an 
equal  contes  , 

Cruise  of  the  Essex.  On  the  tiiird  of  July,  the  frigate  Es* 
sex,  of  thirty-two  guns,  Captain  Porter,  sailed  from  New-York. 
Proceeding  scuthward,  she  captured  the  brig  Lamprey ; 
learning  from  her  that  the  Thetis  frigate  was  to  have  sailed 
on  the  26i;h  of  June  v/ith  specie,  and  a  large  convoy  from  the 
West  Indies  to  England,  he  me.de  every  exertion  to  fall  in 
their  way  off  St.  Augustine  as  they  came  out  of  the  gulf  of 
Mexico.  Being  prevented  by  contrary  winds,  he  proceeded 
to  the  banks  of  Tlewfoundland,  hoping  to  intercept  them  in 
that  latitude,  but  without  success. 

On  the  17th  of  August,  flie  sloop  of  war  Alert,  mistaking 
the  Essex  for  the  Kornet,  bore  up  and  commenced  an  attack. 
In  eight  minutes  she  found  herself  a  prize  to  the  Essex,  and 
seven  feet  of  water  in  her  hold.  Captain  Porter,  had  now  five 
hundred  prisoners  on  board,  which  he  had  taken  from  differ- 
ent vessels  on  his  cruise.  In  order  to  disincumber  himself, 
he  repaired  the  Alert,  threw  her  guns  overboard,  made  a  car- 
tel of  her,  put  all  his  prisoners  on  board,  and  sent  her  to  New- 
foundland.    The  prisoners   were   exchanged  for   an   equal 

*  Commodore  Hull's  letter  to  the  secretary  of  the  navy. 


^Vt4  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  12^ 

number  of  Americans  5  and  the  Alert  returned  to  the  United 
States.  On  the  first  of  September,  the  Essex  fell  in  with, 
and  was  chased  by  a  squadron  of  British  frigates*  She  nar- 
rowly escaped,  and  ari'ived  in  the  Delaware  On  the  seventh.* 

Cruise  of  the  Wasp*  Captain  Jones,  of  the  sloop  of  war, 
Wasp,  of  sixteen  guns,  had  returned  from  France,  two  Weeks 
after  the  declaration  of  war ;  and  on  the  12th  of  October,  sailed 
from  the  Delaware  on  a  cruise. 

Capture  of  the  Frolic.  On  the  1 8th,  he  fell  in  with  a  convoy 
of  six  sail,  under  the  protection  of  the  Frolic,  sloop  of  war,  of 
twenty-two  guns.  On  discovering  the  American^  the  Frolic 
fell  back,  and  the  engagement  commenced  at  half  past  eleven, 
at  sixty  yards  distance.  In  five  minutes  the  main-topmast  of 
the  Vasp  was  shot  away,  and  falling  with  the  sails  and  yards, 
across  the  larboard  fore  and  top  saiL  rendered  her  head  yards 
unmanageable  during  the  remainder  of  the  aeiion*  The  sea 
being  exceedingly  rough,  the  muzzles  of  theii'  guns  weref 
sometimes  under  water*  The  English  fired  as  their  vessel 
rose,  and  her  shot  principally  went  over.  The  Wasp  fired  as 
she  sunk,  and  generally  struck  the  hull  of  her  antagonist* 
They  were  now  so  nigh,  that  in  loading,  their  rammers  reach- 
ed the  side  of  the  enemy.  Captain  Jones  determined  to 
board.  The  jib-boom  of  the  Frolic  came  in  between  the 
main  and  mizen  rigging  of  the  Wasp^  After  giving  a  raking 
fire  which  swept  the  deck.  Lieutenant  Biddlc  led  on  the 
boarders.  On  gaining  the  deck,  they  found  no  persons  there 
except  three  officers,  and  the  seaman  at  the  helm*  The 
deck  was  slippery  with  blood,  and  presented  a  shocking  scene 
«f  carnage.  The  three  officers  threw  down  their  swords 
in  token  of  submission.  The  colours  were  still  flying,  there 
being  no  seamen  left  to  pull  them  down.  Lieutenant  Biddle 
leaded  into  the  rigging  and  hauled  them  down  with  his  own 
hands*  After  a  most  bloody  conflict  of  forty-three  minutes, 
complete  possession  was  gained  of  the  Frolic.     The  birth* 

*  Captain  Porter's  letter  to  the  secretary  ef  the  navy* 


124  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  6. 

deck  was  crowded  with  dead,  dying,  and  wounded.  The  masts 
soon  fell,  covering  the  dead,  and  every  thing  on  deck,  and  pre- 
senting a  most  melancholy  spectacle.  Captain  Jones  sent  his 
own  surgeon  and  medicines  on  board  the  Frolic,  and  afforded 
all  the  relief  in  his  power.  The  British  loss  was  thirty  killed 
and  fifty  wounded ;  the  American,  five  killed  and  five  wounded. 
A  few  hours  after  the  battle,  and  before  Captain'"Jones  had 
made  any  preparation  for  sailing  with  his  prize,  the  Poictiers, 
a  British  seventy-four,  hove  in  sight,  took  possession  of  the 
Wasp  and  her  prize,  and  sent  them  into  Bermuda. 

Second  Cruise  of  Commodore  Rodgersh  Squadron,  On  the 
8th  of  October,  the  squadron  under  Commodore  Rodgers, 
which  had  been  refitting  at  Boston,  sailed  from  that  port  on 
a  second  cruise.  On  the  13th,  the  United  States,  and  Argus 
parted  from  the  others  in  a  gale  of  wind.  A  few  days  after- 
wards, the  President  and  Congress  captured  the  British 
packet  Swallow,  with  g200,000  in  specie  ;  and  on  the  13th  of 
December,  returned  to  Boston,  after  a  very  successful  cruise. 
The  Argus,  after  a  cruise  of  ninety-six  days,  returned  to  New- 
York  with  prizes  to  the  amount  of  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 

Capture  of  the  Macedonian,  On  the  25th  of  October,  the 
United  States,  commanded  by  Commodore  Decatur,  off  the 
Western  Islands,  lat.  29  N.,  Ion.  29  W.,  fell  in  with  the 
British  frigate  Macedonian,  rated  at  38,  mounting  49  guns,  and 
after  an  action  of  an  hour  and  a  half,  captured  her.  The 
Macedonian,  having  the  advantage  of  the  wind,  chose  her  own 
distance,  which  was  such  that,  for  the  first  half  hour,  the 
United  States  could  not  use  her  carronades,  and  at  no  time 
was  she  within  the  complete  effect  of  musketry  and  grape. 
In  this  action  the  superiority  of  the  American  gunnery  was 
strikingly  manifest.  The  Macedonian  lost  her  mizen,  main- 
top, and  foremasts,  and  main  yard,  and  was  much  damaged 
in  her  hull.  She  lost  thirty-eight  killed,  and  sixty-eight 
wounded.  Her  muster-roll  contained  the  following  entries  of 
impressed  American  seamen. 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  125 

Christopher  Dodge,  American,  aged  32,  pressed  by  the 
Thisbe,  shipped  in  the  Macedonian  July  1st,  1810. 

Peter  Johnson,  American,  aged  32,  pressed  by  the  Dedalus 
August  24th,  1810. 

John  Alexander,  of  Cape  Ann,  aged  29,  pressed  by  the 
Dedalus,  entered  August  25th,  1810. 

C.  Dolphin,  of  Connecticut,  aged  22,  pressed  by  the  Na- 
mur,  entered  August  4th,  1810. 

Major  Cook,  of  Baltimore,  aged  27,  pressed  by  the  Royal 
William,  entered  September  10th,  1810. 

William  Thompson,  of  Boston,  aged  20,  pressed  at  Lisbon, 
entered  Jan.  16th,  1811,  drowned  at  sea  in  boarding  an  Ame- 
rican. 

John  Wallis,  American,  aged  23,  pressed  by  the  Triton,  en- 
tered February  16th,  1811,  killed  in  action  in  the  Macedo- 
nian. 

John  Card,  American,  aged  27,  pressed  by  the  North  Star, 
entered  April  13th,  1811,  killed  in  action  in  the  Macedo- 
nian.* 

The  United  States  lost  only  six  killed  and  seven  wounded, 
and  suffered  so  litde  injury,  that  she  might  in  a  few  hours 
have  been  prepared  for  another  action.  From  the  continued 
blaze  of  her  guns,  the  United  States  was  at  one  time  supposed 
to  be  on  fire  byher  antagonist,  but  she  soon  discovered  her  mis- 
take. The  carpenter  of  the  United  States  was  killed  in  the 
conflict,  and  left  three  small  children  in  the  hands  of  a  worth- 
liess  mother ;  the  crew,  with  the  characteristic  generosity  of 
seamen,  raised  a  fund  of  eight  hundred  dollars  from  their 
prize  money,  deposited  it  in  safe  hands,  and  devoted  it  to  the 
education  of  the  orphans. 

Commodore  Decatur  had  on  board  his  frigate  a  lad  of 

twelve  years  old,  the  son  of  a  brave  seaman  who  had  died 

and  left  his  wife  in  poverty.    As  the  Macedonian  hove  in 

#ght,  and  the  crew  were  clearing  the  ship  for  action,  he  ran 

II  -  ■  ...      ,...,■■.,■■« 

*  Mu8t€r-roU  of  the  Macedonian. 


128  HlSTdRt  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  €uAp  k 

Up  to  the  commodore,  and  said,  "  I  wish  my  name  may  be  put 
down  on  the  roll.'*'  "  Why  so,  my  lad  V*  "•  So  that  I  can  have 
a  share  of  the  prize-money."  His  request  was  granted.  After 
the  Macedonian  had  struck  the  commodore  said  to  him,  "Well 
Bill,  we  have  taken  the  ship,  and  your  share  of  the  prize  mo- 
ney, if  we  get  her  safe  in,  may  be  about  two  hundred  dollars; 
what  will  you  do  with  it  ?"  "  1  will  send  half  to  my  mother,  and 
the  other  half  shall  send  me  to  school."  Delighted  with  a  spirit 
at  once  so  noble  and  affectionate,  the  commodore  took  the  lad 
under  his  protection,  procured  a  midshipman's  birth  for  him, 
and  superintended  his  education. 

Immediately  after  the  surrender  of  his  ship.  Captain  Gar- 
den ascended  the  quarter-deck  of  the  United  States  and  pre- 
sented his  sword  to  Commodore  Decatur.  The  commodore, 
in  a  modest  unassuming  manner,  replied,  "I  cannot  receive  the 
sword  of  a  man  who  has  so  bravely  defended  his  ship  ;  give 
me  your  hand,  sir.*^'  Just  before  the  commencement  of  the  war, 
Decatur  and  Carden  accidentally  met  in  the  harbour  of  Norfolk* 
"  Commodore,"  said  the  Captain,  "  we  now  meet  as  friends; 
God  grant  we  may  never  meet  as  enemies  ;  but  we  are  subject 
to  the  orders  of  our  governments,  and  must  obey  them,"  ''  I 
heartily  reciprocate  the  sentiment,"  said  Decatur.  "  But  what, 
sir,*'  said  Carden,  "  suppose  we  meet  as  enemies,  what  do  you 
imagine  would  be  the  consequence  to  yourself  and  the  force 
you  command."  "  Why  sir,"  said  the  hero  of  the  Mediterranean^ 
"  if  we  meet  with  forces  that  might  fairly  be  called  equal,  the 
conflict  would  be  severe,  but  the  flag  of  my  country  on  the 
ship  I  command,  shall  never  leave  the  staff  on  which  it  wavesy 
as  long  as  there  is  a  hull  to  support  it."  The  next  meeting  of 
these  heroes  of  the  ocean,  was  on  the  quarter-deck  of  the 
United  States. 

An  arduous  and  important  duty  still  remained  for  Commo-- 
dore  Decatur  to  perform  ;  to  conduct  his  ship  and  his  shat- 
tered prize  to  an  American  port,  over  an  immense  ocean,  filled 
in  almost  every  direction  with  powerful  enemies.    Although 


I«15.  1*IST0RY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  127 

the  uniform  politeness  of  the  commodore  to  his  brave  enemy, 
made  Captain  Garden  almost  forget  that  he  was  a  prisoner, 
yet  he  was  not  without  strong  hopes  of  being  re-captured  in 
the  course  of  the  voyage,  and  of  seeing  the  American 
frigate  and  her  prize  enter  a  British  port.  But  his  wishes 
were  not  gratified.  Commodore  Decatur  entered  the  harbour 
of  New-London  on  the  4th  of  December,  with  his  ship  and 
prize  in  safety.  Lieutenant  Hamilton,  son  of  the  secretary 
of  the  navy,  was  the  bearer  of  his  despatches,  and  the  flag  of 
the  Macedonian  to  Washington.  He  arrived  on  the  evening 
of  the  8th.  It  fortunately  occurred  that  on  that  evening  a 
ball  was  given  in  honour  of  the  American  navy.  The  beauty 
and  fashion  of  the  city,  and  much  of  the  patriotism  and  talents 
of  the  republic,  were  drawn  together  on  this  occasion.  It 
was  suddenly  announced,  that  the  flag  of  another  British 
frigate  had  arrived.  Lieutenant  Hamilton  entered  the  hall. 
Commodores  Hull  and  Stewart  triumphantly  waved  the  flag 
through  the  assembly,  and  presented  it  to  Mrs.  Madison. 
The  secretary  of  the  navy,  and  his  wife  and  daughter,  were 
present,  and  received  their  son  and  brother  with  the  warmest 
aflection. 

In  a  few  days,  the  United  States,  with  her  prize,  proceeded 
to  the  harbour  of  New- York,  for  the  purpose  of  having  the 
latter  ship  repaired,  and  preparing  for  another  cruise.  The 
citizens  compUmented  the  commodore  with  an  elegant  and 
appropriate  entertainment.  A  capacious  hall  was  colonaded 
with  masts  of  ships,  with  the  flags  of  various  nations  suspended 
upon  them.  On  each  table  was  a  miniature  ship,  displaying 
the  American  stripes.  An  area  of  twenty  by  ten  feet  was 
filled  with  water,  in  which  a  miniature  of  the  United  States 
frigate  floated.  A  mainrsail  of  thirty-three  by  sixteen  feet 
was  suspended  in  the  rear  of  this  artificial  lake,  upon  which 
the  American  eagle  was  painted,  holding  in  his  beak  a  scroll 
with  these  words :  our  children  are  the  property  of  our 
COUNTRY.  One  beautiful  transparency  represented  the  eagle 
holding  in  his  mouth  three  medallions  j  one  inscribed,  Hull 


128  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  «hap.  6. 

AND  THE  GuERRiERE ;  another,  Decatur  and  the  Mace- 
donian; and  the  third,  Jones  and  the  Frolic.  Another 
splendid  figure  represented  the  frigate  Constitution  taking  the 
Guerriere,  August  1 2th  ;  the  United  States,  the  Macedonian, 
October  25th  ;  and  the  Wasp,  the  Frolic  November  18th, 
1S12.  At  this  entertainment,  the  commodore  had  the  satis- 
faction of  meeting  his  friends  and  brothers  in  victory,  Hull 
and  Jones. 

The  next  day  the  corporation  gave  a  dinner  to  the  whole 
crew  of  the  United  States,  in  the  same  hall,  ornamented  in  the 
same  style.     The  miniature  lake,  in  which  the  frigate  floated 
yesterday,  was  to-day  filled  with  the  appropriate  beverage 
©f  the  guests,  from  which  they  drank  to  the  toast, 
American  ships  all  over  the  ocean  ! 
The  crew,  exceeding  four  hundred,  neatly  dressed  in  blue 
jackets  and  trowsers,  scarlet  vests,  and  glazed  hats,  marched 
from  the  frigate  to  the  hall  in  perfect  order,  to  their  favourite 
tune  of  Yankee  Doodle,  from  the  band  of  the  Macedonian. 
The  novelty  of  the  scene  attracted  the  attention,  and  drew 
forth  the  reiterated  applauses  of  an  immense  concourse  of 
spectators.     At  the  close  of  the  entertainment,  the  commo- 
dore, attended  by  his  first  lieutenant,   W.  H.  Allen,  entered 
the   hall,  and  communicated   to   them  the  request  of   the 
managers  of  the  theatre,  that  they  would  attend  in  the  evening, 
and  the  whole  pit  was  appropriated  to  their  accommodation. 
"Sailors,"  said  the  commodore,  "your  orderly  and  decorous 
conduct  this  day  gives  me  high  satisfaction ;  continue  it  through 
the  evening,  and  convince  the  hospitable  and  patriotic  citizens 
of  New-York,  that  you  can  maintain  the  same  order  in  the 
midst  of  amusements,  as  you  have  done  when  sailing  on  the 
ocean,  and  conquering  the  enemy."  The  commodore's  address 
was  answered  by  the  respectful  salute  of  the  crew :    the 
Macedonian  band  again  struck  their  favourite  tune;  and  they 
marched  in  regular  order  to  the  theatre,  enjoyed  the  entertain- 
ment, and  returned  to  their  ship  exhibiting  through  the  whole 
scene  a  perfect  decorum  of  conduct ,  and  the  characteristic 


1812-  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  12^ 

good  humour  and  pleasantry  of  the  American  sailor.  The 
liberality  of  the  managers  was  amply  rewarded  by  a  crowded 
audience  of  citizens,  whom  their  singular  exhibition  had 
attracted  to  the  theatre. 

Second  Cruise  of  the  Constitution,  On  the  return  of  the 
Constitution  to  port,  after  the  capture  of  the  Guerriere,  Cap- 
tain Hull,  at  his  request,  was  discharged  from  the  command  of 
her,  and  was  succeeded  by  Commodore  Bainbridge.  In 
October  she  sailed  in  company  with  the  Hornet,  Captain 
Lawrence,  from  New-York,  with  orders  to  form  a  junction 
with  the  Essex,  which  sailed  about  the  same  time  from  the 
Delaware,  and  proceed  to  the  Pacific  ocean  to  destroy  the 
British  fisheries  and  commerce  in  that  quarter.  Adverse 
winds  prevented  the  junction  at  the  time  and  place  appointed, 
and  the  Essex  proceeded  to  the  South  Seas  alone. 

Capture  of  the  Java,  On  the  30th  of  December,  the  Con^ 
stitution,  having  parted  with  the  Hornet  a  few  days  before 
ofi^*the  coast  of  Brazil,  fell  in  with,  and  captured  the  British 
frigate  Java,  rated  at  36,  but  mounting  49  guns,  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Lambert.  On  descrying  the  frigate.  Com- 
modore Bainbridge  tacked  and  stood  for  her.  At  two  o'clock 
P.  M.  they  were  within  half  a  mile,  and  the  action  commenced 
with  round  and  grape.  At  half  past  two,  they  were  within 
good  cannister  distance,  when  the  Constitution's  wheel  was 
shot  away.  Commodore  Bainbridge  now  determined  to  close 
with  her,  and  luffed  up  for  that  purpose,  and  in  ten  minutes  the 
enemy's  jib-boom  got  foul  of  the  Constitution's  mizen  rig- 
ging, and  immediately  aft^r  his  bow-sprit  and  jib-boom  were 
shot  away.  At^fifteen  minutes  past  three,  the  enemy  were 
completely  silenced,  and  his  colours  at  the  mast  being  down, 
it  was  supposed  he  had  surrendered,  and  the  Constitution 
shot  ahead  to  repair.  But  it  was  soon  discovered  that  the 
British  colours  were  still  flying,  upon  which  the  Constitution 
bore  down  upon  her,  and  got  close  athwart  her  bows  in  an 
effectual  position  for  raking,  when  her  main-mast  went  by  the 
board,  and  she  lay  an  unmanageable  wreck.     Her  colours 

17 


130  HISTORY  ©F  THE  1.ATE  WAR,  Chap,  ^ 

wcFC  now  struck,  and  possession  taken.  Captain  Lambert 
and  sixty  of  his  men  were  killed,  and  one  hundred  wounded. 
The  Constitution  lost  nine  killed,  and  twenty-five  wounded- 
The  great  distance  from  the  American  coast,  and  the  crippled 
situation  of  the  prize,  prevented  her  from  being  brought  in. 
After  taking  out  the  prisoners  and  baggage,  she  was  set  fire 
to,  and  blown  up. 

The  Java  was  an  important  ship,  fitted  out  in  the  com- 
plctest  style,  having  on  board  Lieutenant  General  Hislop, 
Governor  of  Bombay,  and  staff,  with  a  hundred  supernu- 
merary officers  and  seamen,  for  the  supply  of  the  British  ships 
in  the  East  Indian  seas.  She  had  also  on  board  important 
despatches  for  St.  Helena,  the  cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  the 
British  establishments  in  the  Indian  and  Chinese  seas.  The 
prisoners  were  all  landed,  and  left  on  their  parole  at  St.  Sal- 
vador, with  permission  to  return  to  England,  on  condition  of 
not  serving  against  the  United  States  until  exchanged.  After 
this  battle.  Commodore  Bainbridge  found  it  necessary  to 
return  to  the  United  States,  and  arrived  at  Boston  on  the  8th 
of  February. 

On  his  return,  he  writes  to  his  friend,  "  That  the  Java  was 
exceedingly  well  fought  and  bravely  defended.  Poor  Lam- 
bert, whose  death  I  sincerely  regret,  was  a  distinguished  and 
gallant  officer,  and  a  worthy  man.  He  left  a  widow  and  two 
helpless  children ;  but  his  country  makes  provision  for  such 
events.  We  are  now  homeward  bound.  The  damage  the  Con- 
stitution sustained  in  the  action,  and  her  decayed  state,  make 
it  necessary  for  me  to  return  to  the  United  States  for  repairs. 
This  I  much  regret ;  my  crew  participate  in  the  sentiment. 
They  are,  however,  consoling  themselves  with  the  hope  of 
receiving  their  prize-money  for  the  Guerricre  on  their  return. 
You  would  be  highly  amused  to  hear  these  rough,  though 
noble  sons  of  Neptune,  planning  how  they  should  spend  their 
prize-mone)%  One  says,  he  will  buy  himself  a  snug  little 
ship,  on  the  highest  hill,  that  he  may  thence,  in  his  old  age, 
view  all  our  sea-fights.     Another  says,  he  will  now  marry 


tai5,  HISTORY  or  THE  LAT£  WAR.  131 

his  Poll.  Another,  that  he  will  send  his  little  Jack  to  school. 
Poor  fellows !  I  trust  they  will  not  be  disappointed.  Twice 
have  they  willingly  and  gallantly  encountered  the  enemy, 
and  twice  have  they  succeeded.  To  return  home  now,  and 
find  they  have  nothing  but  a  remnant  of  pay  coming  to  them, 
would  depress  their  spirits,  and  damp  that  noble  ardour  which 
they  have  hitherto  felt  and  displayed.  The  officer  may  feel 
differently;  for  the  performance  of  his  duty,  he  feels  a  reward 
in  his  own  bosom,  and  in  his  country's  thanks.  Patriotism,  and 
a  laudable  thirst  for  renown,  will  lead  him  to  court  perils,  in 
defence  of  his  country's  rights.  These  feelings  operate  upon 
the  sailor  also ;  but  to  keep  up  the  high  tone  of  his  ardour, 
he  must  have  prize-money  in  view.  The  schooner  I  am  now 
despatching,  a  prize  to  the  Hornet,  will  give  to  the  treasury 
of  the  United  States  upwards  of  one  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars.'' 

Distribution  of  Priza-Monty.  The  rule  estabUshed  by  Con- 
gress for  the  distribution  of  prize-money  arising  from  captures 
by  national  vessels,  is,  one  half  to  the  United  States;  the 
other  is  divided  into  twenty  equal  parts,  and  distributed  in  the 
following  manner: 

To  the  captains 3 

To  the  sea  lieutenants  and  sailing-masters 2 

To  the  marine  officers,  surgeons,  pursers,  boatswains,  gun- 
ners, carpenters,  master's  mates,  and  chaplains    ...  2 
To  midshipmen,  surgeon's  mates,  captain's  clerk,  school- 
master,  boatswain's  mates,  gunner's  mates,  carpenter's 
mates,  steward,  sail-makers,  masters  at  arms^  armourers, 

and  cockswains 3 

To  gunner's  yeomen,  boatswain's  yeomen,  quarter-masters, 
quarter-gunners,  coopers,  sail-maker's  mates,  sergeants, 
and  corporals  of  marines,  drummers  and  fifers,  and  extra 

petty  officers        ,3 

To  seamen,  ordinary  seamen,  marines,  and  boys      .     .     .  7 

In  captures  made  by  national  vessels,  where  the  captured 

yessel  is  of  equal  or  superior  force,  the  whole  is  given  to  the 


't$2  HISTORY  OF  THE  liATE  WAR.  Chap.  6. 

crew.  In  the  case  of  the  Guerriere  and  Java,  where  the 
prize  was  destroyed,  because  she  could  not  be  brought  into 
port,  Congress,  by  a  special  act,  granted  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars for  each  capture ;  and  in  the  cas«  of  the  Frolic,  to  the 
crew  of  the  wasp,  twenty-five  thousand.  The  United  States 
also  allow  twenty  dollars  for  each  prisoner  of  war,  made  by 
private  armed  vessels.  In  captures  made  by  privateers, 
where  there  is  no  contract  regulating  the  distribution  of  prize- 
money,  one  half  belongs  to  the  owners,  and  the  other  is  dis- 
tributed to  the  crew,  according  to  the  rules  established  in  the 
case  of  public  vessels. 

During  the  long  period  while  the  restrictive  system  was  in 
operation,  from  1807  to  1812,  the  enterprise,  ships,  and  capi- 
tal of  the  American  merchant  had  been  inactive. 

Result  of  the  Naval  War  in  1812.  On  the  declaration  of 
war,  an  extensive  field  opened  for  their  operation.  Numerous 
privateers  were  fitted  out  in  the  principal  ports  of  the  United 
States ;  and  British  commerce  in  every  quarter  of  the  globe 
was  made  to  feel  the  effects  of  American  bravery  and  enter- 
prise. Within  four  months  after  the  declaration  of  war,  there 
were  fitted  out,  and  sent  to  sea,  from  New-York,  twenty-six 
privateers,  carrying  212  guns,  and  2239  men.  Baltimore 
within  the  same  period,  sent  out  seventeen  privateers,  and 
twenty-five  fast-sailing  letters  of  marque  schooners,  denom- 
inated Baltimore  flyers,  carrying  330  guns,  and  3000  men. 

By  the  close  of  the  year  1812,  embracing  a  period  of  about 
six  months  of  war,  the  public  and  private  armed  vessels  of 
the  United  States  had  captured,  and  sent  into  port,  or  de- 
stroyed at  sea,  three  hundred  and  nineteen  British  vessels; 
three  of  them  frigates  of  the  first  class,  others  of  them  public 
armed  ships,  and  the  residue  valuable  merchantmen ;  the 
whole  value,  estimating  them  on  an  average  at  ^40,000,  a  prize 
amounting   to    12,680,000  dollars. 

From  the  commencement  of  the  war,  Admiral  Sir  John  B. 
Wavr^n  had  been  stationed  with  a  powerful  fleet  along  the 
coast,  in  such  nianncr  as  most  effectually  to  intercept  Ameri- 


1812.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR,  133 

can  vessels.  But  their  skill  and  bravery  eluded  his  vigi- 
lance, or  withstood  his  attacks,  and  enabled  them  to  enrich 
themselves  with  the  spoils  of  their  enemies,  and  to  retaliate 
on  them  the  injuries  they  had  so  long  unresistingly  borne. 

East  Florida.  The  interior  of  East  Florida  is  inhabited  by 
Seminole  Indians,  runaway  negroes,  and  fugitives  from  jus- 
tice from  the  neighbouring  states,  and  forms  a  convenient  asy- 
lum for  the  profligate  of  every  description.  This  population 
subsist  by  plunder,  and  aided  and  supplied  by  the  Spaniards 
at  St.  Augustine,  had  become  the  scourge  and  terror  of  the 
Georgia  frontier.  In  January  1811,  Congress,  apprehensive 
that  the  British  were  about  to  take  possession  of  the  province, 
and  that  in  their  hands  it  would  become  a  source  of  still 
greater  evils  to  the  United  States,  passed  a  law,  authorizing 
the  President,  in  case  the  local  authorities  would  consent,  or 
in  case  an  attempt  should  be  made  to  invade  the  province  by 
any  foreign  power,  to  take  possession  of  it  in  the  name  of  the 
United  States.  General  Matthews  and  Colonel  M'Kee,  were 
appointed  commissioners  to  execute  the  provisions  of  this  law. 
They  were  authorized,  in  case  it  was  necessary,  to  call  in  aid 
the  United  States  troops  at  the  nearest  station.  On  repairing 
to  St.  Augustine,  the  commissioners  found  the  Spanish  au- 
thorities altogether  averse  to  surrendering  the  province  to  the 
United  States,  and  no  appearance  of  any  attempt  by  the 
British  to  take  possession.  The  commissioners,  however, 
being  citizens  of  Georgia,  and  believing  that  the  safety  of  the 
frontier  of  that  state  required  the  measure,  called  in  the  force 
under  Col.  Smith,  and  took  possession  of  Amelia  Island,  and 
other  parts  of  the  province.  On  being  informed  of  this  pro- 
ceeding, the  President,  on  the  4th  of  April,  1812,  revoked  the 
powers  of  the  commissioners,  and  appointed  Governor  Mitch- 
ell in  their  stead,  and  directed  him  to  restore  such  parts  as  had 
been  taken  possession  of  by  General  Matthews,  and  giving 
him  discretionary  orders  for  the  United  States  troops  to  evac- 
uate the  territory,  if  in  his  opinion,  the  public  safety  would 
permit.     This  discretionary  power  in  the  hands  of  the  gov- 


134  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  6, 

^rnor  of  Georgia,  was  equivalent  to  an  express  authority  to 
detain  the  troops  in  the  province.  In  his  message  to  the 
legislature  after  his  return,  Governor  Mitchell  observes,  that 
the  force  at  St.  Augustine  was  of  such  a  description  that  it 
could  not  be  tolerated ;  and  that  the  peace  and  safety  of  the 
state  would  be  hazarded  if  the  occupancy  of  East  Florida 
was  relinquished  or  much  longer  delayed.  The  committee  of 
the  general  assembly,  to  whom  the  message  was  referred,  in 
their  reply,  say,  "  That  though  there  has  been  no  actual  inva- 
sion of  the  state  by  a  foreign  force,  yet  a  warfare  has  been 
commenced  on  the  frontiers,  and  murders  perpetrated  under 
the  sanction,  or  with  the  connivance  of  the  governor  of  East 
Florida,  and  a  savage  warfare  is  still  in  operation  under  sanc- 
tion of  that  authority,  which  places  the  citizens  immediately 
exposed  to  its  effects,  in  such  danger  as  admits  of  no  delay. 
They  therefore  recommend  that  the  state  should  immediately 
organize  a  sufficient  force  to  occupy  East  Florida." 

Expedition  of  Colonel  Newman*  In  consequence  of  these 
proceedings,  on  the  15th  of  August,  Colonel  Newman,  adju- 
tant general  of  the  Georgia  militia,  with  a  detachment  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  advanced  into  the  province  as  far  as 
St.  Johns  river,  where  he  received  the  orders  of  Colonel 
Smith,  commandant  of  the  United  States  troops  before  St.  Au- 
gustine, to  proceed  against  the  hostile  Indians,  and  destroy 
their  towns  and  provisions.  On  the  eve  of  his  departure,  he 
received  an  express  from  Colonel  Smith,  informing  him  that  his 
provisions,  wagons,  and  the  escort,  were  attacked  by  a  body 
of  Indians  and  negroes,  and  ordering  him  immediately  to  join 
him  with  a  detachment  of  ninety  men,  and  bring  with  him  all 
the  horses  and  carriages  he  could  spare,  for  the  removal  of 
his  baggage,  artillery,  and  sick ;  Colonel  Smith  having  with 
him  then  only  seventy  men  fit  for  duty.  Colonel  Newman, 
having  accomplished  this  service,  and  assisted  Colonel  Smith 
in  removing  to  the  block-house  on  Davis's  Creek  as  a  place 
of  greater  safety,  found  that  the  time  allotted  for  the  expe- 
dition had  so  far  been  spent,  that  his  men  had   but  six  days 


1612.  HISTORY  OF  TH'E  LATE  WAR.  135 

to  serve.     He  proposed  to  them  an  extension  of  their  service 
for  twenty  days  longer.     Only  eighty-four  of  his  men,  includ- 
ing officers,  volunteered ;  these  with   23  men   furnished  by 
Colonel  Smith,  made  his  whole  force  amount  to  one  hundred 
and    seventeen,  supphed    with   four    days  provisions,   and 
twelve   horses.     On  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day  of  their 
march,  when  within  about  six  miles  of  the  Lotchaw^ay  towns, 
the  object  of  their  expedition,  they  were  attacked  by  a  party 
of  Indians,  who  kept  up  a  constant  firing  upon  them  from  be- 
hind the  trees,  until  they  were  dislodged  by  the   bayonet. 
The  action  lasted  two  hours  and  a  half,  the  Indians  frequently 
attempting  to  get  into  the  rear  of  the  Americans.     About  half 
an  hour  before  sunset  the  enemy  received  a  large  reinforce- 
ment  of  Indians  and  negroes  from  the  town,  and  renewed 
the  attack.     This  action  lasted  until  eight  in  the  evening, 
when  the    Indians  and   negroes  were  repulsed  and  retired. 
After  fasting  and  fighting  all  day  in  the  woods,  Colonel  New- 
man with  his  little  band,  had  to  work  all  night  to  erect  a 
breast  work  of  logs  for  their  safety.     They  were  now  fifty 
miles  from  any  succours,  destitute  of  provisions,  and  surround- 
ed with  savages  and  negroes  to  the  amount  of  m.ore  than  four 
times   their  number.     Captain  Whitaker  was  despatched  to 
St.  Johns  for  provisions,  and  reinforcements.     Six  men,  in- 
cluding their  surgeon  and  pilot,  went  off  with  them,  taking 
six  of  their  best  horses.     The  situation  of  the  detachment 
now  became  hopeless:  they  remained  in  this  place  eight  days 
in  a  starving  condition,  without  hearing  from  their  expected 
supplies,  the  Indians  attacking  them  every  day  after  the  two 
first.    On  the  9th  they  abandoned  their  fort ;  all  their  remain- 
ing horses  being  killed,  they  were  obliged  to  carry  their 
wounded  on  their  backs.     Two  hours  after  they  left  the  fort 
twenty-five  horsemen  arrived  with  provisions  for  their  relief; 
but,  instead  of  following  them,  they  returned  to  St.  Johns. 
After  marching  about  five  miles,  they  were  again  attacked  by 
the  Indians,  and  four   of  their  number  killed.     They  then 
charged  the  Indians  and  drove  them  from  the  field  with  the 


136  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  6. 

bayonet,  and  remained  all  night  on  the  battle  ground.  The 
next  day  they  marched  five  miles,  and  again  threw  up  a 
breast-work,  subsisting  upon  alligators,  and  palmeto  stalks  ; 
here  they  remained  surrounded  and  frequently  attacked  by  the 
Indians  and  negroes,  until  a  relief  arrived  with  provisions  and 
horses,  by  which  they  were  enabled  to  reach  St.  Johns,  with 
their  sick  and  wounded,  where  they  found  a  gun-boat  in  wait- 
ing, by  order  of  Colonel  Smith,  to  convey  them  to  his  camp.* 
Proposition  hy  Mr,  Russell  to  the  British  Government  for  an 
Armistice,  On  the  1 0th  of  May,  1812,  the  French  minister  com- 
municated to  Mr.  Barlow,  the  American  minister  at  Paris,  a  de- 
cree of  the  French  emperor,  bearing  date  the  28th  of  April, 
181 1,  announcing  thatthedecrees  of  Berlin  and  Milan  are  defini- 
tively repealed,  and  to  the  date  of  the  preceding  first  of  Novem- 
ber, considered  as  not  existing  in  regard  to  American  vessels. 
Mr.  Barlow  immediately  despatched  a  special  messenger, 
with  a  copy  of  this  decree  to  Mr.  Russell,  and  on  the  21st  of 
May,  Mr.  Russell  communicated  it  to  the  British  minister. 
On  the  23d  of  June,  an  order  in  council  was  passed,  declaring 
that  the  orders  of  the  7th  of  January,  1807,  and  of  the  26th 
of  April,  1809,  were  revoked,  so  far  as  related  to  American 
vessels  and  cargoes,  from  the  1st  of  the  succeeding  August. 
It  was  also  further  declared,  that  as  British  armed  vessels,  by 
sundry  acts  of  the  American  government,  were  excluded 
from  the  waters  of  the  United  States,  and  the  armed  vessels 
of  France  admitted ;  and  as  the  commercial  infiffjcourse 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  was  interdicted, 
and  that  between  France  and  America  restored,  unless  the 
American  government,  on  receiving  notice  of  this  revocation, 
should  place  Great  Britain  on  the  same  footing  as  France,  in 
these  respects  the  revocation  was  to  be  annulled.  The  order 
also  provided  that  the  prince  regent  should  not  be  precluded, 
if  circumstances  should  require  it,  from  restoring  the  orders 
in  council,  or  from  taking  such  other  measures  of  retaliation 

*  Colonel  Newman's  letter  to  Governor  Mitchell. 


IS  12.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  137 

against  the  French,  as  might  appear  to  his  royal  highness 
just  and  necessary. 

On  the  24th  of  August,  Mr.  Russell,  by  order  of  the  Presi- 
dent, proposed  an  armistice,  to  commence  at  or  before  the 
expiration  of  sixty  days  from  the  date  of  the  instrument  pro- 
viding for  it,  on  condition  that  the  orders  in  council  be  repeal- 
ed, no  illegal  blockades  substituted  in  their  stead,  and  that 
orders  be  immediately  given  to  discontinue  the  practice  of 
impressment,  and  for  the  restoration  of  persons  already  im- 
pressed :  it  being  understood  that  the  British  government 
will  assent  to  enter  into  definite  arrangements  on  all  other 
subjects  of  diiference  by  treaty  as  soon  as  may  be.  As  an 
inducement  to  the  British  government  to  discontinue  the  prac- 
tice of  impressment,  Mr.  Russell  was  directed  to  give  assu- 
rances that  a  law  should  be  passed  to  prohibit  the  employ- 
ment of  British  seamen  in  the  pubhc  or  commercial  vessels  of 
the  United  States. 

Reply  of  Lord  Castlereagh.  In  a  note  of  the  29th  of 
August,  Lord  Casdereagh  replied,  "  that  the  diplomatic  rela- 
tions between  the  two  governments  terminated  by  the  decla- 
ration of  war ;  yet  under  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the 
present  case,  he  had  been  induced  to  submit  Mr.  Russell's 
propositions  to  the  prince  regent,  and  had  his  orders  to  inform 
him,  that  they  were  on  various  grounds  inadmissible.  He 
further  stated,  that  immediately  on  the  revocation  of  the 
orders  in  council,  the  British  admiral  on  the  American  station 
had  orders  to  propose  to  the  government  of  the  United  States 
an  immediate  and  reciprocal  revocation  of  all  hostile  orders, 
with  an  offer  to  give  full  effect,  in  such  an  event,  to  the  pro- 
visions of  said  order  on  the  conditions  therein  specified.  Tn 
the  present  state  of  the  relations  between  the  two  countries^ 
the  operation  of  the  order  of  the  23d  of  June  last  could  only 
be  defeated  by  a  refusal  on  the  part  of  the  American  goverii- 
ment  to  desist  from  hostilities,  or  to  comply  with  the  condi- 
tions expressed  in  the  order." 

18 


338  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  6. 

He  further  remarked,  "  that  it  was  ^unexpected  that  the 
American  government  should  demand  as  a  prehminary,  even 
to  the  suspension  of  hostijities,  that  the  British  government 
should  desist  from  its  ancient  and  accustomed  practice  of  im- 
pressing British  seamen  from  the  merchant  ships  of  a  foreign 
state,  simply  on  the  assurance,  that  a  law  should  be  passed  to 
prohibit  the  employment  of  British  seamen  in  the  public 
or  commercial  vessels  of  such  state:  that  the  British  govern- 
ment is  now,  and  ever  has  been  ready,  to  receive  from  the 
American,  and  amicably  discuss,  any  proposition  which  pro- 
fesses to  have  in  view,  either  to  check  abuse  in  the  practice 
of  impressment,  or  to  accomplish  by  means  less  liable  to  vex- 
ation, the  object  for  which  impressment  has  hitherto  been 
found  necessary.  But  they  cannot  consent  to  suspend  the 
exercise  of  a  right,  on  which  the  naval  strength  of  the  empire 
mainly  depends,  until  they  are  fully  convinced,  that  means 
can  be  devised,  and  will  be  adopted,  by  which  the  object  can 
be  effectually  secured. 

Second  Proposition,  On  the  12th  of  September,  Mr.  Rus- 
sell, by  order  of  his  government,  submitted  another  set  of 
propositions  to  the  British  ministry,  on  the  subject  of  the  sus- 
pension of  hostilities.  That  a  convention  for  that  purpose 
should  be  entered  into,  to  take  effect  at  such  time  as  should 
be  mutually  agreed  on,  and  stipulating  that  each  party  should 
forthwith  appoint  commissioners,  with  full  powers  to  form  a 
treaty,  which  should  provide,  by  reciprocal  arrangements,  for 
the  security  of  their  seamen,  from  being  taken  or  employed  in 
the  service  of  the  other  power,  for  the  regulation  of  their 
commerce,  and  all  other  interesting  questions  between  them  ; 
and  that  the  armistice  should  not  cease  without  such  previous 
notice  as  should  be  agreed  on,  and  should  be  understood  to 
have  no  other  effect,  than  to  suspend  military  operations  by 
sea  and  land.  "  It  was  necessary,"  Mr.  Russell  said,  "  in  ac- 
ceding to  this  proposition  to  come  to  a  clear  understanding  on 
the  subject  of  impressment,  embracing  a  discharge  of  American 
seamen  already  impressed,  without  having  the  arrangement 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  J  39 

in  a  formal  shape,  and  also  on  the  subject  of  future  blockades, 
the  revocation  of  the  orders  in  council  being  confirmed." 

Reply.  To  these  propositions  Lord  Castlereagh  replied, 
"  that  he  saw  no  material  difference  between  them  and  those 
of  the  24th  of  August.  These  now  sought  to  accomplish  in 
a  covert  and  disguished  manner,  what  the  other  openly  re- 
quired, and  were  on  that  account,  the  more  exceptionable. 
Thatthe  subject  of  impressmentwas  of  much  greater  magnitude 
and  difficulty  than  Mr.  Russell  apprehended  :  that  if  America 
wished  to  get  rid  of  the  war,  the  revocation  of  the  orders  in 
council  gave  her  an  opportunity,  and  according  to  the  armis- 
tice which  Admiral  Warren  was  authorized  to  propose,  the 
object  would  be  accomplished."* 

Here  the  correspondence,  and  a'U  the  negotiations  at  Lon- 
don for  the  suspension  of  hostilities,  ended,  and  Mr.  Russell 
immediately  embarked  for  the  United  States. 

Proposition  to  the  American  Government  by  Admiral  Warren 
for  an  Armistice.  On  the  30th  of  September,  Admiral  War- 
ren, by  order  of  his  government,  addressed  a  note  to  the 
American  secretary  of  state,  enclosing  the  British  order  in 
council  of  the  23d  of  June,  and  proposing  the  immediate 
cessation  of  hostilities  between  the  two  countries,  on  the  fol- 
lowing terms : 

"  That  America  should  immediately  recall  her  letters  of 
marque  and  reprisal,  with  all  orders  and  instructions  for 
any  acts  of  hostility  against  the  territory,  persons,  or  property 
of  his  majesty's  subjects  :  that  on  receiving  official  assu- 
rances to  that  effect,  all  acts  of  hostility  should  cease  against 
the  ships,  persons,  and  property  of  the  United  States  :  that 
should  the  American  government  accede  to  this  proposition, 
he  was  authorized  to  make  arrangements  with  them  for  the 
repeal  of  the  laws  interdicting  the  commerce  and  ships  of 
war  of  Great  Britain  from  the  ports  of  the  United  States.. 

*  Correspondence  between  Mr.  Russell  and  Lord  Castlereag-h. 


a  40  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap'  fe 

In  default  of  which  repeal  in  a  reasonable  time,  the  orders 
in  council  would  be  revived." 

Reply  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  In  reply  to  these  propo- 
sitions, the  American  secretary  stated,  "  that  it  would  be  very 
satisfactory  to  the  President,  to  meet  the  British  government 
in  such  arrangements  as  may  terminate,  with  the  least  possible 
delay,  the  hostilities  between  the  two  countries,  on  terms  hon- 
ourable to  both.  At  the  moment  of  the  declaration  of  war, 
the  President  gave  signal  proof  of  the  attachment  of  the 
United  States  to  peace  ;  as  at  that  early  period,  instructions 
were  given  to  the  late  charge  des  affaires  at  London,  to  pro- 
pose an  armistice  which  it  was  presumed  would  be  satisfac- 
tory. It  has  been  seen  with  regret,  that  the  propositions 
made  through  him,  particularly  in  regard  to  the  important 
subject  of  impressment,  were  rejected,  and  that  none  were 
©ffered  through  that  channel  as  a  basis  on  which  hostilities 
might  cease.  Experience  has  proved  that  no  peace  can  be 
durable  unless  that  subject  is  provided  for.  It  is  presumed, 
therefore,  that  it  is  equally  the  interest  of  both  countries  to 
adjust  it  at  this  time. 

**  The  claim  of  the  British  government  is  to  take  from  the 
merchant  vessels  of  other  countries,  British  subjects.  In  the 
practice,  the  commanders  of  British  ships  of  war  often  take 
from  the  merchant  vessels  of  the  United  Slates,  American 
citizens.  If  the  United  States  prohibit  the  employment  of 
British  subjects  in  their  service,  and  enforce  the  prohibition  by 
suitable  regulations  and  penalties,  the  motive  for  the  practice 
is  done  away.  It  cannot  be  conceived  on  what  ground  such 
an  arrangement  can  be  refused.  A  suspension  of  the  prac- 
tice pending  the  armistice,  seems  to  be  a  necessary  conse- 
quence. It  cannot  be  presumed,  that  while  the  parties  are 
engaged  in  negotiation  to  adjust  this  important  difference,  the 
United  States  would  admit  the  right,  or  acquiesce  in  the  prac- 
tice, or  that  Great  Britain  would  be  unwilling  to  restrain  her 
cruisers  from  a  practice  that  would  defeat  the  negotiation. 
l^'  the  British  govefnment  is  willing  to  suspend  the  practice 


1812.  HTSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  I4J 

of  impressment,  on  consideration  that  the  United  States  will 
exclude  British  seamen  from  their  service,  the  regulations  by 
which  the  compromise  should  be  carried  into  effect,  would  be 
solely  the  subject  of  negotiation.  The  armistice  would  be 
of  short  duration :  if  the  parties  agreed,  peace  would  be  the 
result ;  if  not,  each  would  be  restored  to  its  former  pretensions, 
by  recurring  to  war. 

"  The  President  desires  that  the  war  between  the  two  coun- 
tries should  be  terminated  on  such  conditions  as  may  secure 
a  durable  peace.  To  accomplish  this  great  object,  it  is  ne- 
cessary that  the  subject  of  impressment  should  be  satisfacto- 
rily arranged.  He  is  willing  Great  Britain  should  be  secured 
against  the  evils  of  which  she  complains.  He  asks,  on 
the  other  hand,  that  the  citizens  of  the  United  States 
should  be  protected  against  a  practice,  which,  while  it  de- 
grades the  nation,  deprives  the  citizens  of  their  rights  as  free- 
men, takes  them  by  force  from  their  families  and  their  coun- 
try, and  drags  them  into  a  foreign  service,  to  fight  the  battles 
of  a  foreign  power,  perhaps  against  their  own  kindred  and 
country. 

"  The  orders  in  council  having  been  repealed,  and  no  illegal 
blockades  revised  or  instituted  in  their  stead,  and  an  under- 
standing having  been  obtained  on  the  subject  of  impressment, 
the  President  is  willing  to  agree  to  a  cessation  of  hostil- 
ities, with  a  view  to  arrange  by  treaty,  in  a  more  distinct 
and  ample  manner,  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  both  parties, 
every  other  subject  of  controversy.  If  there  be  no  objec- 
tion to  an  accommodation  on  this  subject  in  the  mode  pro- 
posed, other  than  a  suspension  of  the  practice  during  the  ar- 
mistice ;  there  can  be  none  to  proceeding  without  an  armistice 
to  an  immediate  discussion  and  arrangement  of  an  article  upon 
that  subject.  This  great  question  being  satisfactorily  adjust- 
ed, the  way  will  be  open,  either  for  an  armistice,  or  any  other 


142  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  6. 

course  leading  most  conveniently  and  expeditiously  to  a  gen- 
eral pacification."* 

This  correspondence  terminated  all  attempts  to  effect  a 
cessation  of  hostilities.  The  orders  in  council  being  repealed, 
the  only  remaining  subject  of  controversy  was  impressment, 
and  on  this  the  belligerents  determined  to  maintain  their 
respective  claims  at  the  hazard  of  war.  The  views  of  the 
American  government,  in  continuing  the  war  solely  on  the 
ground  of  impressment,  were,  that  this  was  a  point  which 
could  never  be  yielded  by  an  independent  nation  ;  that  having 
taken  up  arms  in  a  case  where  this  stood  as  one  of  the  prom- 
inent causes,  to  make  peace  without  a  satisfactory  arrange- 
ment on  this  head,  and  while  the  practice  was  suffered  to  con- 
tinue, was  in  effect  abandoning  the  principle,  and  with  it  one 
of  their  most  valuable  national  rights.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  British  considered  their  naval  power,  and  as  they  were 
then  situated,  their  national  existence,  at  hazard,  by  abandon- 
ing their  claim,  and  would  agree  to  no  armistice  where  a  sus- 
pension of  the  practice  must  be  the  preliminary. 

Mr.  Monroe's  letter  to  Sir  J.  B.  Warren. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Second  Session  of  the  Twelfth  Congress. — Report  of  the  Committee  of 
Foreign  Relations. — Law  prohibiting  the  employment  of  Foreign 
Seamen. — Report  of  the  Committee  on  Military  Affairs. — Debates  on 
the  expediency  of  continuing,  and  manner  of  conducting  the  War. — 
Army  Bills  passed. — Report  of  Committee  on  Naval  Affairs. — Com- 
parison between  Seventy-Fours  and  Frigates. — Dry  Dock  recom- 
mended.— Navy  Bills  passed. — Treasury  Estimates. — Report  of  Com- 
mittee of  Ways  and  Means. — Revenue  Bills  passed. — Remission  of 
Penalties  on  Goods  imported  after  the  revocation  of  the  Orders  in 
Council. — Law  authorizing  Retaliation  passed. 

Meeting  of  Congress,  After  a  recess  of  four  months,  the 
twelfth  Congress  commenced  their  second  session  on  the  2d 
of  November,  1812. 

Message.  In  his  message,  at  the  opening  of  the  session, 
the  President  informed  them  of  the  steps  he  had  taken 
towards  a  pacification;  of  the  failure  of  the  negotiation  for 
that  purpose;  recommended  a  prosecution  of  the  war  with 
increased  vigour,  and  proposed  a  variety  of  measures  adapted 
to  that  object.  That  part  of  the  message  which  related  to 
the  prosecution  of  the  war,  and  the  documents,  relating  to 
the  negotiations,  were  referred  to  the  committee  of  foreign 
relations.  The  most  interesting  question  that  agitated  Con- 
gress and  the  people  of  the  United  States  during  this  ses- 
sion, was,  whether  the  war  should  continue  solely  on  the 
ground  of  impressments  ?  Though  this  constituted  one  of  its 
prominent  causes,  yet,  no  doubt,  had  the  repeal  of  the  orders 
in  council  taken  place,  and  been  known  in  the  United  States 
before  its  commencement,  impressment  alone  would  not  have 
induced  the  war,  but  that  question  would  have  remained  a 
subject  of  further  negotiation. 

Report  of  the  Committee  of  Foreign  Relations  in  favour  of 
contimdng  the  War.     On  this  point,  Mr.  Grundy,  of  Tennes- 


144  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  7, 

see,  from  the  committee  of  foreign  relations,  reported,  that 
almost  on  the  same  day  on  which  war  was  declared,  the  Bri- 
tish government  had  conditionally  repealed  their  orders  in 
council,  and  thereby  removed  one  great  obstacle  to  accom- 
modation. That  the  only  remaining  subject  of  dispute  be- 
tween the  two  countries  was  impressment.  That  an  offer 
had  been  made  to  the  British  government,  to  provide  a  sub- 
stitute, which  should  be  an  ample  equivalent ;  that  one  had 
been  proposed  which  was  definite  in  its  object,  and  of  a  cha- 
racter so  comprehensive,  as  ought  to  have  been  entirely 
satisfactory,  but  that  it  had  not  been  accepted.  The  British 
government  had  ever  refused  to  come  to  any  arrangement 
upon  the  subject.  It  now  became  the  duty  of  Congress,  to 
declare,  in  terms  the  most  decisive,  that  should  they  still  de- 
cline, the  United  States  will  never  acquiesce  in  the  practice, 
but  resist  it  unceasingly  and  with  all  their  force.  "  It  is  not 
now  necessary,"  the  committee  observe,  "  to  inquire  what  the 
course  would  have  been,  had  the  orders  in  council  been  re- 
pealed before  the  declaration  of  war,  or  how  long  the  prac- 
tice of  impressment  would  have  been  borne,  in  the  hope  that 
the  repeal  of  the  orders  in  council  would  have  been  followed 
by  a  satisfactory  arrangement  upon  that  subject.  War  hav- 
ing been  declared,  and  the  cause  of  impressment  being  ne- 
cessarily included  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  causes,  it 
must  be  provided  for  in  the  pacification.  The  omission  of  it 
in  a  treaty  of  peace,  would  not  leave  it  on  its  former  ground. 
It  would  in  effect,  be  an  absolute  abandonment  of  the  princi- 
ple. The  seamen  of  the  United  States  have  a  claim  on  their 
country  for  protection,  and  they  must  be  protected.  Impress- 
ment is  an  evil  which  must  not  and  cannot  be  longer  tole- 
rated. It  is  in  the  highest  degree  degrading  to  the  United 
States  as  a  nation,  incompatible  with  their  sovereignty,  and 
subversive  of  the  main  pillars  of  their  independence.  Their 
forbearance  has  been  mistaken  for  pusillanimity.  The  Bri- 
tish pretension  was  fast  maturing  into  a  right;  and  should 
resistance  be  longer  delayed,  it  would  soon  become  one. 


tOiS.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LA^E  WAR.  l43 

In  order  to  remove  all  ground  for  the  continuance  of  the 
tvar,  and  to  place  Great  Britain  manifestly  in  the  wrong,  the 
report  concludes  with  recommending  a  bill  prohibiting  the 
employment  of  foreign  seamen  in  the  public  or  private 
vessels  of  the  United  States,  after  the  termination  of  the 
present  war,  under  heavy  penalties,  and  providing  that  the 
lists  of  the  crews  of  merchant  vessels  be  exhibited,  and  re- 
Corded  in  the  office  of  the  collectors  of  the  several  ports,  and 
that  the  consuls  and  agents  of  foreign  powers  might  have 
free  access  to  such  records,  and  a  fair  opportunity  to  object 
to  the  shipping  of  any  individuals  whoia  they  claimed  as 
belonging  to  their  nation. 

Law  to  exclude  Foreign  Seamen.     In  pursuance  of  this  re- 
Commendation,  a  law  was  enacted  embracing  these  provisions, 
applicable  to  those  nations  only    who  should  adopt  similar 
regulations  and  discontinue  the  practice  of  impressment.     It 
was  confidently  hoped,  that  when  an  act  w^as  passed,  which 
should  give  a  better  security  against  the  employment  of  their 
seamen  than  the  practice  of  impressment,  the  British  govern- 
ment would  be  willing  to  abandon  it.     But  they  viewed  it 
in  a  very  different  light.     British  seamen  came  into  the  Uni- 
ted States,  either  by  shipping  themselves  on  board  American 
vessels  in  British  ports,  or  by  deserting  from  British  vessels 
in  American  ports*     While  they  remained  within  the  territory 
of  the  United  States,  they  could  not  be  reclaimed,  and  de- 
livered to  the  British  authorities.     Merely  refusing  to  employ 
them   on  board  American  vessels,   left  them  on  American 
ground  free  to  engage  in  other  pursuits,  and  did  not  restore 
them  to  the  British  nation.     In  their  estimation,  then,  the  law 
afforded  a  very  imperfect  and  inadequate  remedy  for  the  evil* 
of  which  tney  complained.     Indeed  in  the  present  state  of 
the  British  marine,  such  a  law  was  by  no  means  a  desirable 
object  to  them ;  as  by  prohibiting  the  employment  of  British 
seamen  in  American  vessels,  it  precluded  the  opportunity  oi 
impressing  them.     This  refusal  of  the  British  government  to 
restore  impressed  Americans,  and  to  accept  the  proposition- 

19 


J  46  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  7. 

to  exclude  their  seamen  from  the  merchant  and  naval  service 
of  the  United  States,  in  the  opinion  of  the  committee,  war- 
ranted the  conclusion  that  they  were  determined  to  man  their 
navy  in  violation  of  the  dearest  rights  of  American  citizens 
and  justified  a  continuation  of  the  war.  No  accommodation 
was  effected,  and  this  point  still  remained  to  be  settled  by  the 
sword. 

Report  of  the  Committee  on  Military  Affairs.  Mr.  Williams, 
of  North  Carolina,  from  the  committee  on  military  affairs,  re- 
ported a  bill  for  the  increase  of  the  army  twenty  thousand 
men,  making  the  whole  permanent  mihtary  establishment  fifty- 
six  thousand. 

Debates  on  the  War  Bills.  In  the  discussion  of  these  re- 
ports, the  speakers  on  either  side,  took  a  wide  range  on  the 
general  subject  of  the  war,  on  the  expediency  and  necessity 
of  continuing  it,  on  the  objects  to  be  obtained,  and  the  man- 
ner of  conducting  it.  Mr.  Williams,  in  introducing  the  army 
bill,  fully  explained  the  views  of  the  military  committee. 
'  Two  great  objects,"  he  said,  "  were  to  be  obtained  by  the 
military  force  proposed  to  be  raised:  one,  the  complete  de- 
fence of  the  country  ;  the  other,  offensive  war,  the  object  of 
which  was  to  make  the  enemy  feel  that  it  had  become  his 
interej^t  to  abstain  from  oppression  and  plunder.  For  defence, 
the  jurisdictional  limits  of  the  United  States  should  be  divided 
into  military  districts ;  each  district  to  be  intrusted  to  an  in- 
telligent officer  of  high  grade,  who  should  have  under  his 
command  certain  portions  of  the  artillery  and  infantry  of  the 
regular  army,  with  instructions  to  call  in  aid  the  adjacent 
militia,  as  there  should  be  occasion.  That  a  corps  of  flying 
artillej-y  should  be  established  on  the  sea-board,  which  could 
be  rapidly  directed  to  the  most  exposed  points.  That  a  skil- 
ful engineer  should  be  appointed,  and  directed  to  devise  plans, 
and  superintend  the  erection  of  such  works  of  defence  as 
might  be  necessary."  He  then  proceeded  to  enumerate  the 
military  districts,  and  the  least  number  of  troops  to  be  allotted 
to  each,  making  an  aggregate  often  thousand,  for  the  defence 


itVl  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  1 4? 

of  the  country.  Mr.  Williams  next  called  the  attention  of 
the  house  to  the  East  Florida  frontier*  "  Danger,"  he  stated, 
"  there  already  ejtists.  In  its  present  state  it  was  improvea- 
ble  by  an  enemy  to  the  essential  injury  of  the  United  States. 
It  was  perfecdy  within  the  control  of  the  British  for  every 
military  purpose,  and  no  greater  force  would  be  required  for 
the  United  States  to  occupy  it,  than  would  be  necessary  to 
guard  that  frontier  if  they  did  not.  It  ought  therefore,  as  a 
measure  of  precaution,  to  be  occupied." 

In  favour.  On  the  subject  of  oftensive  war,  he  rcmai-ked, 
"  that  the  British  regular  force  in  the  Canadas  could  not  be 
estimated  at  less  than  twelve  thousand  men.  In  addition  to 
these,  were  the  Canadian  militia,  amounting  to  several  thou- 
sand, and  three  thousand  regulars  at  Halifax.  To  drive  this 
force  from  the  field,  the  St.  Lawrence  must  be  crossed 
with  a  well  appointed  army  of  twenty  thousand  men,  sup- 
ported by  an  army  of  reserve  of  ten  thousand.  Peace  is  not 
to  be  expected  but  at  the  expense  of  vigorous  and  sucocssful 
war.  Administration  have  in  vain  sued  for  it,  even  at  the 
expense  of  the  sarcastic  sneers  of  the  British  minister.  The 
campaign  of  1813  must  be  opened  in  a  style  of  vigour,  cal- 
culated to  inspire  confidence  in  ourselves,  and  awe  in 
the  enemy.  Nothing  must  be  left  to  chance;  our  movements 
must  every  where  be  in  concert.  At  the  same  moment,  we 
move  on  Canada,  a  corps  of  ten  thousand  men  must  threaten 
Halifax  from  the  province  of  Maine. 

"  The  honour  and  character  of  the  nation  require  that  the 
British  power  on  our  borders  should  be  annihilated  the  next 
campaigh.  Her  American  provinces  once  wrested  from  her, 
every  attempt  to  recover  them  will  be  chimerical,  except  by  ne- 
gotiation. The  road  to  peace  then  lies  through  Canada.  Once 
possessed  of  Canada,  an  honourable  peace  is  secured.  The 
disasters  of  the  last  campaign,  owing  to  the  cowardice  of  one 
officer,  and  the  inexperience  of  others,  forbid  the  permanent 
employment  of  the  mihtia  or  volunteers  for  the  purposes  qf 


148  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  (^hak  •!. 

war,  and  ought  to  stimulate  to  new  and  more  vigorous  exer- 
tions with  improved  means.'* 

Against.  The  views  of  the  advocates  of  peace  were  ably 
explained  and  defended  by  Mr.  Quincy,  of  Massachusetts,  in  a 
speech  on  the  army  bill.  "  This  bill,"  he  observed,  "  proposed 
to  augment  the  army  by  an  addition  of  twenty  thousand  men : 
this  extension  would  raise  the  army  to  fifty-five  thousand. 
The  committee  of  foreign  relations  have  stated  that  the  exist- 
ing military  establishment  is  sufficient  for  all  the  pur- 
poses of  defence.  This  new  army  is  professedly  intended 
for  the  conquest  of  Canada.  This  he  would  consider,  first, 
on  its  own  merits,  and  secondly,  as  the  means  of  obtaining 
peace.  It  was  the  deliberate,  confirmed  opinion  of  that  por- 
tion of  the  Union,  that  he  represented,"  Mr.  Quincy  observed, 
**  that  the  invasion  of  Canada  was  cruel,  wanton,  senseless,  and 
wicked  ;  that  for  the  offences  of  a  people  in  the  other  hem* 
isphere,  we  should  visit  with  fire  and  sword  an  innocent  an^ 
unoffending  people  in  our  neighbourhood,  connected  with  us 
by  numerous  acts  of  friendly  intercourse.  Antecedent 
to  this  war,  there  subsisted  betwen  Canada  and  the  United 
States  an  intercourse  of  the  most  amiable  and  interesting 
nature.  The  people  on  both  sides  of  the  St.  Lawrence  were 
but  as  one  family,  intermarrying,  and  living  in  the  constant 
reciprocation  of  friendly  offices.  As  enemies,  there  was 
nothing  to  fear  from  them.  Seven  millions  could  have  no- 
thing to  apprehend  from  half  a  million.  Like  the  giant 
crushing  the  pigmy,  there  was  no  glory  to  be  obtained  in  the 
conquest.  Nor  could  it  in  any  degree  affect  Great  Britain  to 
pur  advantage.  It  was  our  invasion  of  Canada,  which  gave  - 
new  strength  to  the  British  ministry  at  the  late  election.  The 
British  nation  were  willing  to  support  America  in  principle  ; 
but  when  they  saw  in  the  first  onset,  the  war  was  carried 
against  their  harmless  colonists,  sympathy  enlisted  them  on 
their  side,  and  produced  such  an  ciTectat  the  elections  as  might 
be  expected. 


1812.  DISTORT  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  149 

"  He  would  next  consider  the  invasion  of  Canada  as  the 
means  of  obtaining  peace.  In  that  view  it  is  addressed  to  the 
fears  of  Great  Britain.  The  history  of  that  countryy  from  its 
carhest  period,  has  always  evinced  that  she  was  not  o{>erated 
upon  by  threats.  She  always  sacrifices  the  present  t^  the 
future,  meets  danger  half  way,  and  yields  nothing  to  menaces. 
If  Great  Britain  saw  that  this  was  a  threat  we  meant  to  exe- 
cute, and  was  sure  the  conquest  of  Canada  would  be  effected  ; 
just  in  proportion  as  she  was  sure  of  that,  in  the  same  pro- 
portion would  the  chance  of  accommodation  with  her  be 
diminished."* 

The  general  principles  advocated  by  Mr.  Williams  and 
others  in  favour  of  war,  and  the  measures  recommended  by 
the  committees  of  foreign  relations  and  military  affairs,  were 
undoubtedly  well  calculated  to  accomplish  the  object.  Could 
a  well  appointed  army  of  twenty  thousand  effective  men  have 
crossed  the  St.  Lawrence  early  in  the  spring  of  1813,  sup- 
ported by  a  reserve  often  thousand,  Canada  must  have  fallen 
that  season.  But  the  difference  between  an  army,  as  it 
appears  in  the  debates  and  acts  of  Congress,  where  the  ranks 
are  to  be  filled  by  voluntary  enlistment,  and  an  army  in  the 
field,  is  immense.  The  requisite  officers  of  every  grade  were 
readily  found,  but  the  total  failure  of  the  recruiting  service 
presented  the  mere  skeleton  of  an  army  in  the  field.  The 
proposed  measures  were  adopted  by  large  majorities ;  and 
laws  were  consequently  passed,  authorizing  the  increase  of 
the  regular  army  by  an  addition  of  twenty  thousand  men,  rais- 
iog  ten  additional  companies  of  rangers,  appointing  six  addi- 
tional major  generals,  and  six  additional  brigadiers,  and 
increasing  the  number  of  officers  of  the  subordinate  grades, 
and  giving  higher  bounties  to  recruits. 

The  military  occupation  of  East  Florida,  as  recommended 
by  Mr.  Williams,  was  viewed  by  Congress  as  an  act  of  direct 
hostility  against  Spain,    and    prematurely  and  unadvisedly 

"  Debates  in  congress,  January  1813. 


UO  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  7. 

making  her  a  party  to  the  war.  Though  her  territories  in 
the  Floridas  might  be  improved  by  the  British  to  the  disad- 
vantage of  the  United  States,  yet  the  majority  of  Congress 
seem  disposed  to  wait  until  some  act  of  Spain,  manifestly 
violating  American  rights,  should  justify  the  measure. 

Report,  of  Naval  Committee.  The  committee  on  naval 
affairs,  with  the  aid  of  the  secretary  of  the  navy,  and  some  of 
the  most  experienced  naval  officers,  took  an  extensive  view 
of  the  subject  of  naval  defence,  and  made  an  able  and  lucid 
report ;  in  which  they  stated,  "  that  for  the  defence  of  the 
coast,  and  the  protection  of  commerce,  a  respectable  navy 
was  necessary:  that  although  it  was  not  desirable,  nor 
within  the  power  of  the  United  States,  to  create  a  navy 
which  should  be  able  to  meet  the  collected  force  of  Britain 
an  the  ocean,  yet  such  a  navy  might  and  ought  to  be  pro-' 
vided,  as  would  be  adequate  to  guard  the  coast,  and  protect 
commerce  :  that  Great  Britain  could  not  with  safety,  at  any 
one  time,  send  to  the  American  station  a  considerable  portion 
of  her  navy.  The  protection  of  her  own  waters  forbade  it. 
While  they  had  no  access  to  the  ports  of  the  United  States, 
and  received  no  supplies  from  them,  the  expenses  of  supply- 
ing their  ships  would  be  enormous.  They  remarked  that  it 
would  take  a  much  less  force  to  guard,  than  to  assail  the 
coast.  That  for  the  purpose  of  defence,  some  vessels  of  a 
larger  size  must  be  provided.  While  the  British  had  ships  of 
the  line  on  the  coast,  frigates  must  not  be  altogether  depended 
on.  The  same  force  in  a  number  of  frigates  would  not  be 
sufficient  to  attack  a  seventy-four;  the  heavier  metal  of  the 
latter  would  probably  enable  her  to  sink  or  destroy  the  for- 
mer with  but  partial  injury  to  herself. 

Comparison  between  Seventy-fours  and  Frigates^  They  next 
proceeded  to  give  a  comparative  estimate  of  the  value  in 
service,  and  of  the  expense  of  building,  seventy-fours  and 
frigates.  According  to  an  estimate  of  the  secretary  of  the 
navy,  detailed  with  great  minuteness,  the  force  of  three  frigates 


Ifil2.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  151 

would  not  be  more  than  equal  to  one  seventy-four.  The  ex- 
pense of  building  and  equipping  a  frigate  of  forty-four  guns, 
taken  from  the  actual  cost  of  the  President,  was  ^220,910. 
The  cost  of  a  sieventy-four,  ,$333,000.  The  annual  expense 
of  keeping  a  frigate  of  that  size  in  service,  was  estimated  at 
^110,000;  and  that  of  a  seventy-four  at  $210,110.  The 
result  from  these  calculations,  was,  that  while  the  expenses  of 
a  seventy-four  were  something  less  than  that  of  two  frigates 
of  forty-four  guns,  her  value  in  service  was  equal  to  three. 

When  engaged  in  war  with  a  distant  maritime  power,  ships 
of  the  line  were  best  calculated  to  defend  the  coast,  and  pro- 
tect the  inward  and  outward  bound  commerce.  Without 
them,  the  first  object  of  such  an  enemy  would  be  to  restrain 
American  frigates  and  cruisers,  from  leaving  our  harbours, 
and  preying  on  their  commerce.  By  keeping  their  large 
ships,  parading  on  the  coast,  threatening  the  most  exposed 
towns,  preventing  the  departure  of  small  cruisers,  capturing 
what  small  portion  of  commerce  may  have  escaped  their 
cruisers  on  the  ocean,  and  recapturing  such  as  they  have  lost, 
they  are  able  to  carry  on  a  warfare,  easy  and  profitable  to 
themselves,  and  destructive  to  their  enemies. 

Should  a  more  important  object  present  itself,  they  could 
withdraw  their  ships  for  a  time  without  great  hazard,  and 
return  in  season  to  shut  out  those  cruisers  with  their  prizes, 
that  might  have  gone  out  in  their  absence*  They  would  be 
able  at  all  times  to  consult  their  own  convenience  in  point  of 
time  and  numbers,  and  need  incur  no  expense  and  risk  of 
transport,  but  can  go  and  procure  their  supplies  at  pleasure* 
before  their  absence  is  known  to  their  enemy. 

To  prevent  these  evils,  the  American  navy  ought,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  committee,  to  consist  of  a  mixed  force,  of  ships 
of  the  line,  frigates  of  forty  and  thirty-two  guns,  and  corvettes 
of  sixteen.  The  inner  squadron,  or  guarda  costa,  to  be  com- 
posed of  the  ships  of  the  line,  and  a  few  smaller  frigates,  and 
corvettes  for  look-out  vessels.  "  Such  a  defence,"  the  commit- 
tee remark,  "must  produce  one  of  two  results;  either  the 


152  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chap  1, 

enemy  would  be  obliged  to  abandon  the  coast,  or  bring  on 
a  force  at  least  double  that  of  the  Americans,  at  all  the  haz- 
ards of  leaving  their  own  waters  unprotected,  and  maintaining 
their  ships  at  sea  without  harbours  for  shelter,  and  at  the 
great  expense  and  risk  of  provisioning  and  watering  them  by 
transports.  If,  under  these  disadvantages,  they  should  be' 
unable  to  maintain  a  superiority  on  the  coast,  the  door  will 
be  kept  open  for  the  ingress  and  egress  of  cruisers  with  their 
prizes,  and  the  small  classes  of  ships  may  be  sent  in  pursuit 
of  the  cruisers  and  commerce  of  the  enemy." 

Dry  Docks,  "  The  committee  also  recommend  a  dry 
dock,  into  which  vessels  may  be  introduced  and  the  water 
then  taken  out  by  drains  and  pumps,  as  indispensable  for 
fepairing  large  ships.  Without  the  aid  of  such  a  dock,  a 
ship  of  wai  wanting  repairs  to  her  bottom,  or  that  is  in  need 
of  coppering,  must  be  turned  down  on  her  side  to  undergo 
that  repair ;  to  prepare  her  for  this  operation,  her  upper 
masts  must  be  taken  down,  her  guns,  stores,  water-casks, 
ballast,  and  ammunition  taken  out,  which  occasions  a  great 
waste  and  loss  of  time  and  labour.  The  preparation  to  dock 
a  ship  requires  but  a  few  hours.  All  that  is  necessary  is  to 
take  out  her  guns,  and  to  pump  the  water  out  of  her  water- 
casks,  and  when  docked,  the  repairs  of  her  bottom  can  pro* 
gress  on  both  sides  at  the  same  time.  Ships  wanting  thorough- 
repair,  require  all  the  planks  to  be  stripped  off,  and  their 
beams,  knees,  and  clamps  taken  out;  these  are  all  they  hav^e 
to  bind  their  frames  together,  and  thereby  preserve  their 
"fehape  ;  when  stripped  of  them  to  make  room  for  new,  they 
are  liable,  if  in  the  water,  to  hog,  from  the  greatest  weight 
tind  body  of  timber  being  in  the  fore  and  after  ends,  at  which 
places  there  is  no  pressure  upwards  caused  by  the  water :  as 
4hese  ends  are  sharp,  the  two  extremities  of  the  ship  are  liable 
to  sink  in  the  water,  while  the  body  or  middle  of  the  ship  rises 
with  the  upward  pressure  of  the  water,  something  in  the  form 
of  a  hog's  back.  Another  consideration  is,  that  the  bolting 
ibf  a  ship  ought  to  be  driven  from  the  outside,  but  when  re- 


1812.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  153 

paired  afloat,  they  must  by  driven  from  the  inside,  and  are 
jneither  so  strong,  nor  so  well  secured.  These  considerations 
induced  gentlemen  best  acquainted  with  naval  affairs  strongly 
to  recommend  the  establishment  of  a  dry  dock  for  repairing 
ships  of  war. 

The  unparalleled  success  of  the  infant  navy  of  the  United 
States  had  inspired  a  universal  confidence  in  that  mode  of 
warfare,  and  rendered  every  measure  for  the  increase  of  the 
navy  popular.  The  views  of  the  committee,  of  the  secretary 
of  the  navy,  and  of  Captains  Stewart,  Hull,  and  Morris,  who 
assisted  with  their  communications  in  making  the  report,  were 
fully  supported  in  Congress,  in  relation  to  the  nature  and  in- 
crease of  the  naval  force.  Four  seventy-fours,  six  additional 
forty-fours,  and  six  sloops  of  war,  were  ordered  to  be  built, 
and  put  in  commission  immediately.  As  large  a  force  also 
on  the  lakes  was  ordered  to  be  provided,  as  was  calculated 
would  be  sufficient  to  estabhsh  the  ascendency  in  that  quarter. 
But  unfortunately  for  the  interests  of  the  United  States,  this 
maritime  force  appeared  only  on  the  journals  of  Congress. 
The  most  numerous  and  expensive  part  of  their  real  navy, 
consisted  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  gun-boats  seeking  their 
own  safety  in  the  creeks  and  shoals  of  the  coast.  The  crea- 
tion of  a  navy  was  found  to  be  a  work  of  time,  and  before  it 
could  be  accomplished,  the  evils  which  it  was  destined  to 
prevent,  were  realized. 

Treasury  Estimates,     The  treasury  estimates  of  expendi- 
tures for  the  year  1813,  were, 
For  the  civil  list,  and  interest,  and  reimburse- 
ment of  a  part  of  the  principal  of  the  public 

debt, 38,500,000 

For  the  army,  not  including  the  new  levies,     .     .  17,000,000 
For  the  navy,  not  including  the  proposed  in- 
crease,   4,925,000 

$30,425,000- 
20 


154  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  CuAv.  T. 

The  appropriations  actually  made  for  the  service  of  the 
year,  were, 

Civil  department  and  miscellaneous  services,  .  ^1,500,000 
Military,  including  unexpended  balances,  *  .  21,500,000 
Naval,  including  the  proposed  increase,  ....  8,500,000 

Public  debt,      .     , 8,000,000 

Additional  naval  officers, 360,000 

Bounties  to  the  crews  of  Constitution  and  Wasp,         125,000 


$39,975,000 
Fifty  thotisand  dollars  were  ordered  to  be  paid  to  the  offi- 
cers and  crew  of  the  Constitution,  for  the  destruction  of  the 
Guerriere,  and  the  like  sum  for  the  destruction  of  the  Java, 
Twenty-five  thousand  dollars  were  given  to  the  officers  and 
crew  of  the  Wasp,  for  the  capture  of  the  Frohc.  An  act 
was  also  passed  declaring  it  to  be  lawful  for  any  persons  ta 
burn,  sink,  or  destroy  any  British  armed  vessels,  by  torpe- 
does, submarine  instruments,  or  any  other  destructive  ma- 
chine, and  giving  a  bounty  to  the  amount  of  one  half  the 
value  of  such  vessel,  armament,  apparel,  and  cargo,  to  any 
persons  who  should  accomplish  their  destruction. 

The  committee  of  ways  and  means,  reported  an  estimate 
of  the  whole  revenue  exclusive  of  loans,  to  amount  to  twelve 
millions  :  that  the  residue  of  the  appropriations  should  be 
supplied  by  loans  ;  for  this  purpose,  that  a  loan  of  twenty- 
one  ijiillions  was  necessary  ;  ten  of  which  was  to  be  obtained 
by  issuing  treasury  notes  to  that  amount,  bearing  an  interest 
of  five  and  two-fifths  per  cent.  These  were  calculated  to 
supply  in  some  measure  a  circulating  medium,  to  be  issued 
for  the  purchase  of  supplies,  and  payment  of  the  troops,  or 
sold  in  market.  The  remaining  eleven  millions  were  to  be 
obtained  by  creating  and  selling  in  market.  United  States' 
stock,  bearing  an  interest  of  six  per  cent.,  and  reimbursable 
in  twelve  years.  The  stock  not  to  be  sold  at  a  greater  dis- 
count than  at  the  rate  of  eighty- eight  dollars  cash  for  one 
hundred  dollars  stock. 


181^.  HISTORY  OF  THfi  LATE  WAR.  455 

Merchants'*  Bonds  discharged.  Immediately  after  the  re- 
vocation of  the  orders  in  council,  American  merchants  pur- 
chased in  England,  goods  to  the  amount  of  nearly  forty  mil- 
lions, and  shipped  them  to  the  United  States  on  the  presump- 
tion that  the  non-importation  law  would  be  repealed.  The 
declaration  of  war  having  prevented  the  repeal,  these  goods 
were  liable  to  be  seized  and  condemned  on  their  arrival  iu 
the  American  ports.  In  several  instances,  American  priva- 
teers, falling  in  with  vessels  laden  with  these  goods,  took 
possession  of  them,  and  sent  them  in  as  prizes.  The  custom- 
house officers,  under  the  direction  of  the  secretary  of  the 
treasury,  seized  these  goods,  and  libelled  them  in  the  mari- 
time courts.  The  goods,  by  order  of  the  courts,  were  released 
to  the  owners,  upon  their  giving  bonds  to  pay  the  appraised 
value  of  them,  into  the  treasury  of  the  United  States.  The 
claims  of  the  owners  of  the  privateers,  to  those  that  were 
captured  and  sent  in,  was  at  once  disallowed  by  the  court. 
Application  was  made  to  Congress  at  an  early  period  of  the 
session,  for  a  discharge  of  those  bonds  and  a  remission  of  the 
forfeitures  incurred.  The  duties  on  these  importations  would 
amount  to  nearly  ten  millions,  and  afford  a  very  seasonable 
aid  to  the  treasury.  The  application  was  favourably  receiv- 
ed, and  an  act  passed  discharging  the  bonds,  and  the  penal- 
ties incurred,  upon  the  payment  of  the  duties  and  costs  arisen 
on  the  prosecutions. 

It  was  an  essential  part  of  the  system  of  finance  proposed 
at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  to  provide  for  the  punc- 
tual payment  of  the  interest  on  the  war  loans,  by  a  system  of 
internal  duties  and  direct  taxes.  This  was  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  support  public  credit,  and  render  future  loans  ob- 
tainable on  any  reasonable  terms.  No  receipt  of  any  conse- 
quence could  be  calculated  upon  at  the  treasury,  at  a  shorter 
period  than  a  year  after  the  imposition  of  the  taxes.  In  the 
mean  time  interest  upon  the  loans  first  obtained,  would  fall 
due,  and  further  loans  would  be  called  for.  On  these  con- 
siderations, it  was  expected  that  the  present  Congress  would 


156  HISTOBY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chap.  T. 

at  an  early  period,  arrange  the  system,  and  impose  the  taxes. 
But  notwithstanding  they  had  been  in  session  thirteen  months 
out  of  the  twenty-four,  for  which  they  were  elected,  they  did 
not  find  time  to  arrange  this  important  business,  and  be- 
queathed the  unpleasant  task  to  their  successors. 

Law  of  Retaliation.  The  shocking  barbarities  practised 
by  the  Indians,  under  the  command  of  the  British,  and  by 
their  permission,  at  the  river  Raisin,  excited  universal  indig- 
nation, and  induced  the  passing  of  a  law  authorizing  the  Pre- 
sident, whenever  there  had  been  any  violations  of  the  laws  and 
usages  of  war,  or  any  outrage  or  acts  of  cruelty  and  barba- 
rity, perpetrated  on  any  citizens  of  the  United  States,  or  any 
persons  in  their  land  or  naval  service,  by  those  acting  under 
authority  of  the  British  government,  or  by  the  Indians  in 
alliance  or  connexion  with,  or  acting  under  their  authority,  to 
cause  full  and  ample  retaliation  to  be  executed  on  any  British 
subject,  soldier,  or  seaman,  prisoners  of  war  in  the  United 
States. 

The  British  alleged  in  excuse  for  themselves,  their  inabil- 
ity to  control  the  Indians.  This  excuse,  however,  was  gene- 
rally not  true  in  point  of  fact ;  and  if  true,  would  afford  no 
reasonable  justification.  It  only  threw  the  guilt  one  step 
further  back,  and  placed  the  criminality  of  employing  sav- 
ages whom  they  could  not  control,  in  a  more  conspicuous 
point  of  view.  Happily  for  the  honour  and  magnanimity  of 
the  American  nation,  the  severe  though  just  law  of  retaliation 
was  never  executed.  It  was  too  revolting  to  the  humane 
feelings  of  Americans,  to  visit  the  iniquities  of  the  gov- 
ernment, or  their  guilty  agents,  on  innocent  and  unfortunate 
prisoners. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

British  Plan  of  the  Campaign  for  1813.— American  Plan.— Division  of 
the  United  States  into  Military  Districts.— Arrival  of  the  British  Re^ 
inforcements  at  Bermuda.— Proclamations  of  Blockade. — Arrival  and 
Proceedings  of  the  Squadron  in  the  Delaware.— Arrival  of  the  Bri- 
tish Squadron  at  Lynnhaven  Bay.— Plundering-  on  the  Shores  of  the 
Chesapeake.— Burning  of  Havre  de  Grace.— Plundering  and  Burning 
of  Fredericktown,  and  Georgetown. — Arrival  of  Admiral  Warren, 
and  Sir  Sidney  Beckwith,  with  Reinforcements.— Norfolk  threatened* 
—Attack  on  Craney  Island.— Capture  of  Hampton.— Plunder  and  Out- 
rages at  Hampton. — Correspondence  between  the  American  and  Bri- 
tish Generals  on  the  subject  of  the  Outrages.— Attempt  to  destroy 
the  Plantagene  twith  a  Torpedo.— An  attempt  on  the  Ramilies  with 
a  Torpedo,  and  a  Fire-Ship. — Squadron  proceed  up  the  Potomac  and 
threaten  Alexandria  and  Washington, — Proceed  up  the  Bay,  and 
threaten  Annapolis  and  Baltimore.— Admiral  Cockburn  proceeds  to  the 
South.— Blockade  of  Comodore  Decatur's  Squadron  at  New-London, 
— Naval  Challenge. — Decline. 

British  Plan  of  Operation  for  1813.  The  distinguished 
naval  success  of  the  Americans  in  the  year  1812  was  in  a 
high  degree  mortifying  to  British  pride.  To  be  beaten  on 
ground  which  they  claimed  exclusively  as  their  own,  and  by 
a  navy  which  they  despised,  was  not  to  be  endured.  To 
apologize  for  such  an  event,  American  frigates  were  called 
seventy-fours  in  disguise,  and  greatly  overrated  in  men  and 
guns.  British  commerce  had  suffered  severely  by  the  public 
and  private  armed  ships  of  the  United  States.  To  guard 
against  similar  events  in  the  succeeding  year,  the  British  de- 
termined on  a  more  vigorous  prosecution  of  naval  warfare. 
No  actions  were  to  be  hazarded  with  American  ships  but 
with  such  superior  force  as  would  ensure  success,  and  except 
in  one  or  two  instances,  no  American  ship  was  ever  after- 
wards attacked,  but  where  the  difference  was  greatly  in  fa- 


158  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  8. 

vour  of  the  British.  The  coast  was  to  be  closely  blockaded, 
so  as  to  prevent  the  egress  of  vessels,  and  the  return  of  them 
with  their  prizes.  Every  thing  American  which  floated,  was 
to  be  captured  or  destroyed,  and  a  large  armament  was  to  be 
kept  constantly  hovering  on  the  coast,  which  should  continu- 
ally threaten  and  harass  the  different  maritime  towns,  and  in 
this  manner,  as  some  of  their  officers  expressed  themselves, 
chastise  America  into  submission.  With  these  views,  the 
principal  disposable  force  of  Great  Britain  was  destined  for 
the  sea-board.  No  greater  reinforcements  were  to  be  sent  to 
Canada,  than  what  were  deemed  sufficient  to  retain  their  pos- 
sessions. The  success  of  the  allied  powers  against  France 
in  the  year  1812,  greatly  reheved  England  from  the  pressure 
of  the  continental  war,  and  enabled  her,  with  more  effect,  to 
pursue  her  hostile  measures  against  America. 

American.  The  American  government,  on  the  other  hand, 
determined  to  open  the  campaign  of  1813  with  a  regular 
army  of  fifty-five  thousand  men,  to  be  aided  by  occasional 
calls  of  militia  and  volunteers.  The  main  body  of  the  regu- 
lar forces  was  destined  for  the  conquest  of  Canada.  For 
the  purposes  of  defence,  the  United  States  were  divided  into 
nine  military  districts. 
Massachusetts  and  New-Hampshire,  to  compose   .     .  No.  1 

Rhode-Island  and  Connecticut, 2 

New- York  from  the  sea  to  the  highlands,  and  the  state 

of  New-Jersey, 3 

Pennsylvania  from  its  eastern  limit  to  the  Alleghany 

mountains,  and  Delaware, -4 

Maryland  and  Virginia, 5 

The  two  Carolinas  and  Georgia, 6 

The  states  of  Tennessee,  Louisiana,  and  the  Mississippi 

territory, 7 

Kentucky,   Ohio,  and  the  territorial  governments  of 

Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  and  Michigan, 8 

Pennsylvania  from  the  Alleghany  mountains  westward, 

New- York  north  of  the  highlands,  and  Vermont,     .     .     9 


1811  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  J5gF 

To  each  of  the  districts  was  assigned  a  general  officer  of 
the  United  States  army,  whose  duty  it  was  to  superintend  and 
direct  all  the  means  of  defence,  and  military  operations  with- 
in his  district.  Small  detachments  of  regular  troops  were 
stationed  at  the  most  exposed  points  on  the  sea-board,  to 
form  a  rallying  point  for  the  militia  in  case  of  invasion.  The 
commandant  of  the  district  was  authorized  to  call  upon  the 
executives  of  the  states  for  such  portions  of  the  miHtia  most 
convenient  to  the  threatened  point,  as  he  should  deem  neces- 
sary. The  operations  of  the  militia  to  be  combined  with 
the  regular  force,  and  the  whole  to  be  under  the  direction  of 
the  commandant  of  the  district,  and  while  in  service,  to  be 
paid  and  supported  by  the  United  States. 

With  these  views  of  the  contending  parties,  the  campaign 
of  1813  commenced.  In  the  course  of  the  winter,  a  large 
reinforcement  arrived  at  Bermuda,  consisting  of  several  ships 
of  war  and  transports,  with  a  considerable  land  force  on 
board,  furnished  with  shells  and  rockets  for  the  purpose  of 
attacking  the  most  exposed  cities  on  the  sea-board.  A  por- 
tion of  this  land  force  consisted  of  French  prisoners,  who, 
rather  than  be  confined  for  an  indefinite  period  in  the  English 
prison  of  Dartmoor,  had  been  induced  to  embark  in  the  British 
service. 

British  Blockade  of  the  Southern  Ports.  On  the  26th  of 
December,  1812,  an  order  in  council  was  issued,  declaring 
the  ports  and  harbours  in  the  Chesapeake  and  Delaware 
bays,  to  be  in  a  state  of  strict  and  rigorous  blockade  ;  on 
the  26th  of  the  May  following,  the  blockade  was  extended  to 
New- York,  and  all  the  southern  ports.*  Early  in  March,  a 
fleet  consisting  of  four  seventy-fours,  six  frigates,  and  a  num- 
ber of  smaller  vessels  of  war,  arrived  in  the  Chesapeake 
under    Admiral  Cockburn.      About   the     same  time   three 


*  Orders  in  council  of  the  26th  of  December,  1812,  and  26th  of  May, 
1813. 


160  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chaf.  ^. 

seventy-fours  and  several  small  vessels,  appeared  in  the  Del- 
aware under  Commodore  Beresford. 

Operations  in  the  Delaware,  On  the  16th  of  March,  the 
Delaware  squadron  made  a  demand  of  supplies  from  the  in- 
habitants of  Lewistown,  a  considerable  village  on  the  Dela- 
ware shore,  offering  to  pay  the  Philadelphia  prices,  in  case 
they  were  voluntarily  furnished,  and  threatening  to  destroy 
the  town  in  case  of  refusal.  Such  proposals,  addressed  to  a 
people  opposed  in  principle  to  the  war,  was  expected  to 
bring  in  an  abundant  supply;  but  the  patriotic  citizens 
of  this  village  peremptorily  refused  ;  informing  the  com- 
modore, that  they  could  hold  no  correspondence  with  an 
enemy,  without  subjecting  themselves  to  the  penalties  of 
treason.  They  gave  immediate  information  to  the  governor 
of  Delaware,  who  called  out  a  considerable  body  of  militia 
and  placed  the  town  in  a  respectable  state  of  defence.  On 
the  6th  of  April,  the  demand  was  renewed,  and  on  being 
again  refused,  the  Belvidera  with  two  smaller  vessels,  anchor- 
ed close  under  the  town,  and  commenced  a  bombardment ; 
this  was  spiritedly  returned  by  the  militia  under  Colonel  Da- 
vis, from  a  battery  erected  in  a  commanding  position.  On 
the  afternoon  of  the  7th,  the  British  attempted  to  land,  but 
were  met  at  the  water's  edge  and  driven  back  to  their  ships. 
The  blockading  squadron  then  left  their  moorings  above 
Lewis,  and  dropped  down  to  Newbold's  ponds,  a  watering 
place  seven  miles  below.  Here  they  again  attempted  to  land 
and  obtain  water  from  the  ponds,  and  were  again  met  by  a 
detachment  of  the  militia  from  Lewis  under  Colonel  Hun- 
ter, and  compelled  to  retire  and  abandon  their  object.  The 
squadron  failing  to  obtain  the  necessary  supplies  in  the  Dela- 
ware, soon  afterwards  returned  to  Bermuda. 

In  the  Chesapeake,  In  the  Chesapeake,  the  blockading 
squadron  took  their  station  in  Lynnhaven  bay,  near  the  en- 
trance of  the  Chesapeake,  and  commenced  a  disgraceful 
scene  of  plunder  and  devastation.  Light  vessels  traversed 
the  bay  in  every  direction,  capturing  and  destroying  all  the 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  16 1 

fishing-boats  and  bay  craft  within  their  reach;  frequently 
landing,  and  plundering  and  burning  defenceless  farm- 
houses, seducing,  and  taking  away  negroes,  and  driving  off 
the  stock ;  on  the  appearance  of  any  considerable  opposition, 
these  marauders  immediately  took  to  their  ships.  On  the 
3d  of  April,  three  frigates,  two  brigs,  and  a  schooner,  entered 
the  Rappahannock,  and  attacked  the  Dolphin  privateer,  and 
three  letters  of  marque,  which  were  there  preparing  for  sea. 
The  letters  of  marque  were  immediately  taken.  The  priva- 
teer sustained  an  action  of  two  hours,  when  the  British  suc- 
ceeded in  boarding  her  with  the  loss  of  fifty  men  killed  and 
wounded. 

The  cities  of  Baltimore,  Norfolk,  and  Annapolis,  and  all  the 
smaller  towns  and  villages  on  the  waters  of  the  Chesapeake, 
were  kept  in  a  constant  state  of  alarm.  Many  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  most  exposed  towns  removed,  with  their  valuable 
effects,  into  the  interior.  Great  exertions  were  made  to  place 
the  most  considerable  towns  in  a  respectable  state  of  defence. 
On  the  16th  of  April,  a  large  force  appeared  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Patapsco,  twelve  miles  below  the  city  of  Baltimore;  took 
the  Baltimore  packets  and  a  number  of  small  craft,  and  threat- 
ened an  attack  on  the  city.  Finding  it  well  defended,  they 
proceeded  up  to  Havre  de  Grace,  near  the  head  of  the  bay, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Susquehannah.  On  their  way,  they 
plundered  and  burnt  Frenchtown,  a  village  consisting  of  five 
or  six  dwelling-houses,  and  several  stores  and  stables,  being 
the  place  of  deposite  on  the  line  of  packets  and  stages  between 
the  cities  of  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia. 

Destruction  of  Havre  de  Grace,  The  attack  on  Havre  de 
Grace  commenced  by  bombardment  from  the  shipping,  at  day- 
light, on  the  3d  of  May.  The  frightened  inhabitants, 
awakened  by  the  thunder  of  the  cannon,  fled  in  e\ery  direc- 
tion ;  a  few  repaired  to  the  beach,  where  a  battery  with 
several  pieces  of  artillery  had  been  planted  as  a  kind  of 
defence  against  small  watering  parties;  after  discharging  a 
few  shots,  they  fled  on  the  approach  of  the  barges,  with  the 

21 


162  HISTOJIY  OF  THE  LATE  WAE.  ChaI*.  Z. 

exception  of  a  eitizen  by  the  name  of  O'Neale,  originally 
iVom  iFeland,  stationed  at  one  of  the  guns,  he  continued  load- 
ing and  firing  it  alone,  to  the  imminent  hazard  of  his  life,  after 
his  fellow-citizens  had  fled,  until  by  the  recoiling  of  the 
piece,  he  was  severely  wounded  in  the  thigh :  he  then  with 
difficulty  retreated  into  the  town,  and  fought  them  with  his 
musket,  ustil  a  British  officer  rode  up  with  several  marines 
and  made  him  prisoner.  On  board  the  Maidstone  frigate  he 
was  threatened  with  execution  for  being  of  Irish  extract,  but 
was  afterwards  released  upon  the  application  of  the  magis- 
trates of  the  town.  The  British  landed  with  Admiral  Cock- 
burn  at  their  head,  and  proceeded  without  further  resistance 
to  the  work  of  destruction.  The  town  was  given  up  to  the 
plunder  of  the  soldiery,  and  burnt.  Mrs.  Rodgers,  wife  of 
the  commodore,  Mrs.  Pinckney,  and  Mrs.  Goldsborougb, 
with  several  other  ladies  of  distinction,  sought  shelter  at  an 
ckgant  country-seat  of  Mr.  Pringle's,  a  short  distance  from 
the  village.  When  the  British  came  to  burn  the  house,  Mrs. 
Croldsborough  met  the  officer,  and  entreated  that  the  house 
might  be  spared  on  account  of  her  aged  mother,  w^ho  could 
wot  be  removed.  The  officer  replied,  that  he  acted  under 
the  admiral's  ordjers,  and  she  must  obtain  his  consent.  She 
immediately  sought  the  admiral,  and  obtained  his  permission 
that  the  house  might  be  spared,  but  when  she  returned,  found 
it  on  fire,  and  two  men  coming  out  loaded  with  plunder.  Mr. 
Pinckney  and  Mrs.  Goldsborough,  with  the  assistance  of  two 
marines,  succeeded  in  extinguishing  the  flames.  Having 
destroyed  the  village,  one  party  proceeded  several  miles  on 
the  Baltimore  road,  plundering  and  burning  the  farm-houses, 
and  every  thing  within  their  reach;  another  proceeded  up 
the  Susquehannah,  committing  similar  ravages. 

Of  Fredericktown  and  Georgetown.  On  the  6th,  they  rc- 
embarked  and  proceeded  down  the  bay,  to  Sassafras  creek. 
A  few  miles  up  this  creek  were  the  villages  of  Fredericktown 
and  Georgetown,  of  about  forty  or  fifty  houses  each,  situated 
on  opposite  , sides  of  the  Fiver.     At  Fredericktown  a  number 


ISIS.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATJS  WAR.  163 

of  small  vessels  had  taken  shelter  as  a  place  of  safety.  These 
villages,  with  the  shipping,  underwent  the  same  scene  of 
plunder  and  conflagration  as  had  been  practised  at  Havre  de 
Grace.  The  private  property  plundered  and  destroyed  at 
Havre  was  estimated  at  sixty  thousand,  and  at  the  two  other 
villages  at  seventy  thousand  dollars. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  Admiral  Warren  entered  the  Chesa- 
peake with  a  considerable  naval  reinforcement,  and  a  num- 
ber of  land  troops  and  marines,  under  the  command  of  Sir 
Sidney  Beckwith.  The  British  force  now  in  the  Chesapeake 
consisted  of  eight  ships  of  the  line,  twelve  frigates,  and  a  con- 
siderable number  of  small  vessels.  Such  a  force  evidently 
indicated  an  attack  upon  some  more  important  point.  From 
the  movement  of  the  squadron  to  Hampton  roads,  it  appeared 
that  Norfolk  was  the  object.  The  defence  of  this  city  de- 
pended on  a  squadron  of  about  twenty  gunboats,  the  frigate 
Constellation,  and  the  fortifications  on  Craney  Island.  The 
frigate  was  anchored  between  two  forts,  situate  on  each  side 
Elizabeth  river,  which  command  the  approach  to  Norfolk. 
On  the  21st,  15  gun-boats,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Tarbel,  attacked  the  Junon,  the  foremost  British  frigate,  at 
the  distance  of  three  quarters  of  a  mile;  the  action  continued 
upwards  of  an  hour  with  considerable  damage  to  the  frigate, 
when,  on  the  nearer  approach  of  a  razee,  the  gun-boats 
hauled  oft'. 

Attack  on  Craney  Island,  Before  the  British  could  enter 
the  harbour  of  Norfolk  and  approach  the  town,  it  was  neces- 
sary to  take  possession  of  Craney  Island.  On  the  morning 
of  the  22d,  they  were  discovered  passing  round  the  point  of 
Nansemond  river,  and  landing  on  the  main  land  in  a  position 
where  the  passage  was  fordable,  with  a  view  to  pass  over 
and  attack  the  works  on  the  west  side  of  the  Island,  while 
at  the  same  time  a  number  of  barges  from  the  fleet  attempted 
to  land  in  front.  These  were  attacked  before  they  reached 
the  shore  from  a  battery  on  the  beach,  manned  by  the  sailors 
and   marines    from  the   Constellation     and   the    gun- boats. 


164  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  8. 

ThrC'e  of  the  barges  were  sunk,  most  of  the  men  drowned, 
and  the  rest  compelled  to  retreat  to  their  shipping.  The 
party  which  landed  at  Nansemond,  were  met  and  repulsed  by 
the  Virginia  mihtia,  and  driven  back  to  their  ships,  with  the 
loss,  including  those  in  the  barges,  of  upwards  of  two  hun- 
dred in  killed  and  wounded.  The  city  of  Norfolk  and  the 
neighbouring  villages  of  Gosport  and  Portsmouth,  owed  their 
sdifeiy  to  this  gallant  defence  of  Craney  Island. 

Ravages  at  Hampton.  Defeated  in  the-r  attempt  on  Nor- 
folk, the  armament  proceeded  to  Hampton,  a  village  at  the 
head  of  the  bay  which  runs  up  north  from  James  river, 
eighteen  miles  above  Norfolk.  This  village  was  defended 
by  a  garrison  of  four  hundred  aud  fifty  militia,  protected  by 
some  slight  fortifications.  Admiral  Cockburn,  on  the  25th  of 
June,  with  his  forces,  advanced  towards  the  town  in  barges 
and  small  vessels,  throwing  shells  and  rockets,  while  Sir  Sidney 
Beckwith  effected  a  landing  below  with  two  thousand  men. 
Cockburn's  party  were  repulsed  by  the  garrison,  and  driven 
back  behind  a  point,  until  General  Beckwith's  troops  advanc- 
ed and  compelled  the  garrison  to  retire.  The  town  being 
now  completely  in  the  possession  of  the  British,  was  given 
\ip  to  pillage.  Many  of  the  inhabitants  had  fled  with  their 
valuable  effects  ;  those  who  remained  suffered  the  most 
shameful  barbarities.  That  renegado  corps,  composed  of 
French  prisoners  accustomed  to  plunder  and  murder  in  Spain, 
and  who  had  been  induced  to  enter  the  British  service  by 
promises  of  similar  indulgence  in  America,  were  now  to  be 
gratified,  and  were  let  loose  upon  the  wretched  inhabitants  of 
Hampton  without  restraint.  For  two  days  the  town  was  given 
up  to  unrestrained  pillage;  private  property  was  plundered 
and  wantonly  destroyed  ;  unarmed  and  unoffending  individu- 
als grossly  abused;  females  violated;  and  in  one  instance,  an 
aged  sick  man  murdered  in  the  arms  of  his  wife,  who,  at  the 
came  time,  was  dangerously  wounded.  A  collection  of  well- 
attested  facts,  made  by  a  committee  of  Congress  respecting 


1813.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  tQ^ 

the  outrages  at  Hampton,  stand  on  their  journals  as  lasting 
monuments  of  disgrace  to  the  British  nation. 

Correspondence   between   General    Taylor  and  Sir  Sidney 
Beckwith.     General  Taylor,  the  commanding  officer  at  Nor* 
folk,  addressed  a  note  to  Admiral  Warren  on  this  subject,  im 
which  he  remarks,  "  that  it  was  with  grief  and  astonishment 
he  had  heard  of  these  excesses.     The  world  will  suppose 
these  acts  to  have  been  approved  if  not  excited  by  the  com- 
manders, if  suffered  to  pass  by  with  impunity,     1  am  prepar- 
ed  for  any  species  of  warfare  which  you  are  disposed  to 
prosecute.     It  is  for  the  sake  of  humanity  that   I   enter  this 
protest,     ft  will  hereafter  depend  on  you,  whether  the  evils 
inseparable  from  a  state  of  war,  shall  in  our  operations  be 
tempered   by  the  mildness   of  civilized  life,  or  under  your 
authority  be  aggravated  by  all  the  fiend-like  passions  which 
can  be  enlisted  into  them."    General  Beckwith,  as  command- 
er of  the  land  forces,  by  whom  these  outrages  were  princi- 
pally committed,  replied,  "  that  these  excesses  were  occasion- 
ed by  a  proceeding  of  so  extraordinary  a  nature,  that  had  he 
not  been  an  eye-witness  to  it,  he  would  not  have  credited  it. 
At  the  recent  attempt  on  Craney  Island,  the  troops,  he  stated, 
in   one  of  the   barges  sunk   by  the   fire   of  the   American 
guns,  clung  to  the  wreck ;  several  Americans  waded  ofi*  from 
the  island,  and  in  the  presence  of  all  engaged,  fired  upon 
and  shot  them.     With  a  feeling  natural  to  such  an  occasion, 
the  troops  of  that  corps  landed  at  Hampton." 

General  Taylor,  replied  that  "  he  was  satisfied  such  a 
scene  did  not  take  place,  and  if  it  had,  satisfaction  ought  to 
have  been  demanded,  before  retaliation  so  extravagant  in 
measure,  and  applying  not  to  the  perpetrators  of  the  oftence, 
but  to  the  innocent  and  helpless,  was  resorted  to.  That  he 
had  ordered  an  inquiry  to  be  made  into  the  facts,  and  effec- 
tual measures  should  be  taken  to  punish  any  misconduct.  A 
board  of  field  officers  to  whom  the  subject  was  referred,  re- 
ported, that  it  appeared  from  the  testimony,  that  in  the  action 
at  Craney  Island,  two  of  the  enepiy's  boats  in  front  of  their  line 


1.U6  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  ii. 

were  sunk  by  the  batteries ;  the  troops  in  the  boats  were  afloat 
and  in  danger  of  drowning,  and  being  in  front  of  the  boats 
whieh  were  still  engaged,  the  firing  necessarily  continued,  and 
was  in  the  direction  of  the  men  in  the  water,  but  with  no  inten- 
tion of  doing  them  any  further  harm  ;  on  the  contrary,  orders 
were  given  to  prevent  this  by  ceasing  to  fire  grape,  and  to  fire 
"round  shot.  One  of  the  British  who  had  apparently  sur- 
rendered, advanced  towards  the  shore  about  one  hundred 
yards,  then  suddenly  turned  to  the  right  and  endeavoured  to 
escape,  he  was  fired  upon  to  bring  him  back,  which  had  the 
desired  effect.  The  troops  on  the  island  exerted  themselves 
in  acts  of  kindness  to  the  unresisting  foe."*  The  transmis- 
sion of  this  report  to  Sir  Sidney  Beckwith,  ended  the  corres- 
pondence on  the  subject  of  the  outrages,  and  the  troops 
re-embarked  from  Hampton  on  the  27th  of  June. 

Effects  of  British  Outrages,  The  British  appeared  to  have 
had  two  objects  in  view  in  their  system  of  plunder  and  devas- 
tation in  the  Chesapeake ;  one,  to  gratify  their  troops  with 
pillage  ;  the  other  to  render  the  calamities  of  war  so  distress- 
ing to  the  inhabitants  as  that  the  sufferers  and  those  exposed 
to  similar  sufferings,  should  compel  the  government  to  make 
peace  upon  their  own  terms.  As  to  the  latter  object,  the 
effects  of  this  system  were  the  reverse  of  their  expectations. 
The  war,  unpopular  among  a  great  portion  of  the  American 
people  at  its  commencement,  lost  that  character  and  acquired 
new  popularity  by  every  act  of  barbarity  in  the  enemy. 
The  peaceful  citizen  who  could  only  with  the  utmost  reluc- 
tance be  compelled  to  contribute  his  service  or  property 
to  the  conquest  of  Canada,  was  ready  to  devote  his  all  to 
the  protection  of  his  altars,  fireside,  and  family,  and  those  of 
his  neighbours,  from  the  wanton  violations  of  a  barbarous 
foe.  Either  from  the  orders  of  their  government,  with  a  view 
to  detach  the  northern  section  of  the  union  from  the  war,  or 
the  accidental  difference  in  the  character  of  the  commanders, 

*  Correspondence  beeween  General  Taylor  and  Sir  Sidney  Beckwith. 


ms,  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WA'B.  U? 

the  blockading  squadrons  north  of  the  Chesapeake  conducted 
their  operations  upon  the  liberal  principles  of  civilized  war- 
fare. Commodore  Hardy,  to  whom  the  blockade  of  New- 
London  and  Long  Island  Sound  was  intrusted,  was  distin- 
guished for  the  humane  and  liberal  manner  in  which  it  was 
conducted. 

Torpedoes.  The  act  of  the  last  session  of  Congress 
encouraging  and  rewarding  the  destruction  of  British  vessels 
by  submarine  instruments  or  other  destructive  machinery, 
induced  a  variety  of  essays  to  accomplish  such  an  object. 
The  attempt  which  approached  nearest  to  success,  was  made 
by  Mr.  Mix,  a  gentleman  of  ingenuity  and  enterprize  belong- 
ing to  the  navy.  Having  spent  several  weeks  in  preparing  a 
torpedo,  he  made  an  essay  upon  the  Plantagenet,  a  British 
seventy-four  at  anchor  in  Lynnhaven  bay.  On  the  evening 
of  the  18th  of  July,  he  put  off  from  his  rendezvous,  in  a 
large  open  boat  which  he  called  the  "Chesapeake's  Revenge," 
assisted  by  Captain  Bowman  of  Salem,  and  Midshipman 
M'Gowan  of  the  United  States  navy,  and  having  ascertained 
the  position  of  the  ship,  he  approached  within  fifty  fathoms 
and  dropped  his  torpedo ;  at  the  same  instant  he  was  hailed 
by  the  British  guard-boats,  which  induced  him  immediately  to 
take  up  his  machine,  and  retreat.  On  the  19th,  he  made 
another  unsuccessful  attempt.  On  the  20th,  he  succeeded  in 
getting  under  the  ship's  jib-boom,  within  fifteen  yards  of  her 
bow ;  here  he  continued  fifteen  minutes  undiscovered,  mak- 
ing preparations,  when  at  the  moment  he  was  ready  to  launch 
his  instrument  of  destruction,  he  was  hailed  by  the  centinel 
in  the  forecastle,  and  compelled  to  decamp.  The  centinel,  not 
being  answered,  fired  his  musket,  which  was  followed  by  a 
rapid  discharge  of  small  arms.  Blue  lights  were  then  made 
to  find  the  boat,  but  failed  ;  rockets  were  thrown  in  every 
direction,  which  illuminated  the  water  for  a  considerable  dis- 
tance, and  discovered  their  nocturnal  visiter  making  a  rapid 
retreat ;  the  ship  then  commenced  a  sharp  fire  of  heavy- 
guns,  slipped  her  cables,  and  made  sail,  while  her  boats  we.r^ 


168  mSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  Chap.  8* 

despatched  in  pursuit.  The  daring  intruders  directly  getting 
out  of  the  lights  of  the  rockets,  escaped  unhurt.  The  un- 
welcome visits  were  repeated  on  the  nights  of  the  21st,  22d, 
and  23d,  without  success,  as  the  ship  having  taken  the  alarm 
changed  her  position  every  night.  On  the  24th,  Mr.  Mix, 
having  succeeded  in  discovering  the  position  of  the  ship, 
approached  within  a  hundred  yards,  and  dropped  the  fatal 
machine  into  the  water,  just  as  the  centinel  on  deck  cried  out 
'*  all's  well."  It  sunk  ahout  ten  feet,  the  tide  floated  it  down 
unperceived  to  within  a  few  yards  of  the  bottom  of  the  ship, 
when  it  exploded  with  a  most  terrific  sound.  A  pyramid  of 
water  nearly  fifty  feet  in  circumference,  was  thrown  up  forty 
or  fifty  feet  into  the  air  with  the  appearance  of  vivid  red, 
tinged  with  a  beautiful  purple,  when  it  burst  at  the  top  with  a 
terrible  explosion,  and  fell  in  torrents  on  the  deck  of  the 
ship,  which  rolled  into  the  chasm  below  and  nearly  upset. 
The  forechannel  of  the  ship  was  blown  off,  and  a  boat  which 
lay  along  side  with  several  men  in  her,  was  thrown  into  the 
air  in  the  convulsion  of  the  waters.  The  ship's  crew  were 
panic-struck,  and  most  of  them  betook  themselves  to  the 
boats.  Had  the  explosion  been  delayed  a  few  moments  until 
the  machine  had  struck  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  it  must  have 
been  fatal.  A  line  of  torpedoes  was  prepared  to  be  set  at 
short  notice,  in  the  ship  channel  at  the  narrows,  between 
Long  and  Staten  Islands,  in  such  manner  that  seventy-fours 
passing  up  to  New- York,  must  necessarily  disturb  and  cause 
them  to  explode,  and  expose  the  ships  to  destruction.*  One 
torpedo  was  prepared  at  New-London  designed  for  the  de- 
struction of  the  Ramilies,  and  proceeded  in  the  darkness  of  a 
still  and  cloudy  night,  to  the  object  of  its  destination ;  but 
neither  the  machine,  boat,  nor  managers,  were  ever  after- 
wards heard  of. 

Explosion  of  the  Eagle,  On  the  25th  of  June,  the  schooner 
Eagle  was  fitted  out  from  New- York,  having  on  board  a  large 


*  Niles's  Register,  vol.  4,  page  366. 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  169 

magazine  of  powder,  and  a  considerable  quantity  of  flour  and 
other  articles  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  British  squadron.  A 
spring-lock  was  fixed  to  a  cask  of  the  powder,  which  was 
connected  by  a  string  to  a  flour-barrel,  so  that  when  it  was 
attempted  to  be  removed,  the  lock  must  spring,  and  the  mag- 
azine  explode.     The  authors  of  this  stratagem  calculated 
that  the  British,  in  their  usual  manner,  would  take  possession 
of  the  schooner,  and  bring  her  alongside  of  the  Ramilies  to 
unlade,  when  the  explosion  would  take  place,  and  destroy  the 
ship.     The  Eagle,  thus  freighted,  proceeded  to  the  harbour 
of  New-London ;  and  as  she  neared  the  Ramilies,  three  barges 
approached,  and  her  crew  left  her.     The  barges  took  posses- 
sion ;  but  as  the  wind  was  contrary,  they  were  unable  to  con- 
duct her  to  the  ship,  and  began  to  remove  her  lading  into  the 
boats,  when  they  sprang  the  lock,  and  the  schooner,  barges, 
and   men,  instantly  disappeared.     The  British   affected  tp 
consider  this  as  a  barbarous  and  unjustifiable  mode  of  atta(ik, 
unwarranted   by  the   usages    of    civilized    nations.      Two 
answers  were  given  to  their  remonstrances  on  this  subject: 
one,  that  their  cruel  and  wanton  outrages  on  the  peaceable 
inhabitants  of  the  coast  warranted  any  mode  of  defence  cal- 
culated to  afford  protection:  the  other,  that  stratagems  in  war 
are  always  justifiable :  and  the  modes  of  attack  of  which  they 
complained   stood  on  the  same  ground  as  sapping,  mining, 
and  ambuscades  on  land.     These  experiments,   though  un- 
successful as  to  the  main  object,  had  the  effect  of  rendering 
the  enemy  more  cautious  in  approaching,  and  taking  stations 
in  t^ie  American  waters. 

Potomac,  On  the  1st  of  July,  the  Chesapeake  squadron, 
consisting  of  seven  ships  of  the  line,  seven  frigates,  and  eleven 
small  vessels,  with  the  troops  on  board,  left  Hampton  roads, 
proceeded  to  the  mouth  of  the  Potomac,  and  entered  that  river, 
taking  soundings,  and  marking  out  the  channel  with  buoys. 
Their  advance  proceeded  up  the  river  within  seventy  miles 
of  the  city  of  Washington,  and  excited  great  alarm  in  that 
city,  and  at  Alexandria  and  Georgetown.     The  defence  of 

22 


170  H4ST0RY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  (Jhap.  6. 

these  places  from  a  naval  attack,  depended  on  fort  Washing- 
ton, formerly  called  fort  Warburton,  erected  on  Mason'vS 
Island  in  the  Potomac,  six  miles  below  Alexandria.  The 
works  here  were  repaired,  the  garrison  increased,  the  militia 
from  the  neighbouring  country  called  in,  and  such  an  aspect 
of  defence  presented,  as  induced  the  British  to  withdraw  from 
the  river.  They  next  proceeded  up  the  bay  and  threatened 
Annapolis  and  Baltimore  ;  but  finding  them  in  a  formidable 
attitude  of  defence,  made  no  attempt.  The  principal  part  of 
the  squadron  under  Admiral  Cockburn,  soon  afterwards  left 
the  bay,  and  proceeded  to  the  south,  alarming,  and  plundering 
the  coast  of  the  Carolinas  ;  on  that  of  North-Carolina,  Cock- 
burn  entered  the  Ocracoke  inlet,  captured  two  privateers,  and 
proceeded  to  the  entrance  of  the  Nease,  with  a  view  of  attack- 
ing Ncwbern;  but  finding  that  place  well  guarded  by  the 
militia,  he  attacked  the  neighbouring  town  of  Portsmouth, 
plundered  it,  and  returned  to  the  ships  with  a  valuable  booty^ 
and  a  number  of  slaves,  whom  he  induced  to  leave  their  mas- 
ters under  a  promise  of  freedom,  and  afterwards  sold  in  the 
West-Indies.  He  next  proceeded  to  the  coast  of  Georgia, 
took  possession  of  Cumberland  Island,  and  established  his 
head-quarters  during  the  winter,  at  the  elegant  mansion-house 
of  the  late  General  Greene,  which  he  found  in  the  possession 
of  his  daughter.  The  British  admiral  and  officers  paid  a 
scrupulous  regard  to  the  rights  of  the  occupant  of  this  seat^ 
while  they  committed  their  wonted  depredations  on  the  neigh- 
bouring coast. 

Blockade  of  New-London.  The  principal  harbours  north 
of  the  Chesapeake  were  strictly  blockaded.  The  frigates 
United  States  and  Macedonian,  and  sloop  of  war  Hornet, 
having  been  repaired  in  the  port  of  New- York,  and  fitted  for 
sea,  attempted  to  go  out  on  the  24th  of  May.  A  squadron  of 
superior  force  lying  off  the  narrows,  made  it  necessary  for 
them  to  take  the  passage  through  Hell-Gate,  and  Long-Island 
sound.  To  oppose  their  passage  in  this  direction,  there 
appeared  off  New-London   harbour,    two    seventy-fours,  a 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  HI 

razee,  and  a  frigate,  and  chased  the  American  squadron  into 
that  port.  The  British,  under  Commodore  Hardy,  anchored  at 
the  mouth  of  the  harbour,  just  out  of  the  reach  of  the  guns 
of  the  forts;  the  Americans  lightened  out  a  part  of  their 
armament,  and  retired  five  miles  up  the  Thames :  for  their 
protection,  forts  Trumbull  and  Griswold  were  strongly  garri- 
soned, and  corps  of  militia  ordered  in  from  the  neighbouring 
country  to  prevent  a  landing.  The  vigilance  of  the  block- 
ading squadron  prevented  any  opportunity  for  escape  ;  and 
confined  the  frigates  to  the  river  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
The  Endymion,  and  Statira,  composed  a  part  of  the  block- 
ading squadron,  and  were  of  equal  force  with  the  United 
States  and  Macedonian.  Commodore  Hardy  remarked  to 
-Captain  Moran,  who  had  been  captured,  and  carried  on  board 
the  Ramilies,  "  that  he  should  have  no  objections  to  a  meet- 
ing's taking  place  between  the  frigates,  but  could  not  allow 
the  challenge  to  proceed  from  the  English  commanders.^' 
Challenge  given  by  Commodore  Decatur, — Declined^ 
Captain  Moran,  being  afterwards  paroled,  mentioned  this  con- 
versation in  the  hearing  of  Commodore  Decatur,  who  imme-» 
diately  despatched  Captain  Biddle  with  a  proposition  for  a 
meeting.  Having  delivered  his  message.  Captain  Biddle  was 
informed,  that  an  answer  would  be  returned  by  a  flag  the  next 
day.  The  crews  of  the  American  frigates  were  assembled 
and  received  the  proposition  with  hearty  cheers;  the  officers 
and  men  were  now  in  anxious  expectation  of  being  immedi- 
ately led  to  battle  and  victory;  when  the  British  flag  arrived 
with  the  unwelcome  intelligence,  that  the  challenge  was  de^ 
rlined. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

iVaval  Affaira.— Cruise  of  the  President— Of  the  Congress. — Of  the 
Hornet — Capture  of  the  Peacock. — Captain  Lawrence  appointed  t« 
the  command  of  the  Chesapeake. — Challenge  of  the  Shannon; 
accepted. — Capture  of  the  Chesapeake. — Funeral  of  Lawrence  and 
Ludlow,  at  Halifax. — ^Their  Bodiea  removed  to  New-York. — Funeral 
Honours  at  Salem  and  New- York. — Cruise  and  Capture  of  the  Argus. 
Death  of  Captain  Allen. — Battle  between  the  Enterprise  and  Boxer, 
and  Capture  of  the  latter. — ^Death  and  Funeral  Honours  of  both  Com- 
manders.— Cruise  of  the  Essex  in  the  Atlantic— Her  Arrival  in  the 
Pacific. — Capture  of  a  Peruvian  Corsair. — Capture  of  Whale  Ships. — 
Establishment  at  Madison  Island. — ^Essex  Junior. — Arrival  of  British 
Squadron.— Blockade  of  the  Essex. — Battle  between  her  and  the 
British  Squadron. — Capture  of  the  Essex. — Return  of  Captain  Porter 
and  Crew  to  the  United  States. — Number  and  Value  of  British  Prizes 
in  1813. 

The  American  frigates  which  were  so  fortunate  as  to  elude 
the  blockading  squadrons,  and  get  to  sea  in  the  year  1813. 
pursued  the  enemy  with  their  wonted  bravery  and  enter- 
prise. 

Cruise  of  the  President.  On  the  23d  of  April,  Commodore 
Rodgers,  with  the  President,  and  Congress  frigates,  sailed 
from  Boston  on  a  cruise.  They  continued  in  company  along 
the  banks  of  Newfoundland  until  the  eighth  of  May,  when  the 
President,  having  parted  from  the  Congress,  pursued  her  route 
to  the  northward,  with  a  view  to  cross  the  tracks  of  the  West- 
India,  Hahfax,  and  Quebec  trade.  From  the  9th  to  the  13lh 
of  June,  they  made  four  prizes.  They  then  shaped  their 
course  for  the  North  Seas,  to  intercept  vessels  bound  from 
the  Irish  Channel  to  Newfoundland,  by  the  way  of  the  north 
of  Ireland.  After  remaining  on  this  station  several  days  with- 
out success,  they  proceeded  to  the  North  Cape  for  the  pur- 
pose of  intercepting  a  convoy  of  thirty  sail,  expected  to  leave 


1 74  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  9. 

Archangel  for  England  about  the  middle  of  July.  On  the 
19th,  the  President,  near  the  North^Cape  was  chased  by  a 
line  of  battle  ship  and  frigate.  In  this  high  latitude,  the  sun 
was  several  degrees  above  the  horizon,  during  the  whole 
twenty-four  hours,  which  enabled  the  British  to  continue  the 
chase  by  day-light  uninterruptedly  for  eighty  hours.  Commo- 
dore Rodgers,  by  skilful  manoevering,  and  extraordinary 
exertions,  finally  escaped,  and  made  his  way  by  the  north- 
west coast  of  Ireland  to  the  United  States.  On  the  23d  of 
September,  on  the  American  coast,  he  was  discovered  by  the 
High-Flier,  one  of  Admiral  Warren's  look-out  ships.  The 
British  made  a  private  signal,  which  by  accident  was  an- 
swered by  the  Commodore,  with  the  Enghsh  corresponding 
one.  The  High-Flier  immediatety  made  up  to  the  President, 
and  was  captured.  From  her  such  information  respecting 
the  number  and  stations  of  the  British  force  on  the  coast  was 
obtained,  as  enabled  the  President  to.  reach  the  harbour  of 
Newport  on  the  27th  of  September,  in  safety.  During  the 
cruise,  she  made  twelve  prizes,  three  of  which  were  destroyed, 
and  the  others  sent  into  port.*  The  Congress,  after  parting 
with  the  President,  cruised  in  the  latitude  of  the  West-Indies, 
with  a  view  of  faUing  in  with  the  British  trade,  but  with  little 
success:  she  made  Portsmouth  harbour  on  the  14th  of  De- 
cember, having  made  only  three  prizes  during  her  cruise. 

Hornet,  Captain  Lawrence,  of  the  Hornet  sloop  of  war,  con- 
tinued on  the  coast  of  South  America,  blockading  the  Bonne 
Citoyen  in  the  port  of  St.  Salvador  until  the  24th  of  January, 
1813,  when  he  was  compelled  to  retire  on  the  appearance  of 
the  Montague,  a  seventy-four  which  had  been  sent  for  from 
Rio  Janeiro  to  raise  the  blockade.  On  the  28th  of  December, 
Captain  Lawrence,  with  the  consent  of  Commodore  Bain- 
bridge,  the  commanding  officer  on  that  station,  challenged  the 
Bonne  Citoyen  to  single  combat ;  the  commodore  pledging 
himself  to  retire,  so  as  that  it  should  not  be  in  his  power  to 

♦  Commodore  Rodgers's  letter  to  the  secretary  of  the  navy. 


181^.  fflSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  175 

give  assistance.  The  challenge  was  declined.  The  pro- 
priety of  giving  or  receiving  naval  challenges,  was  very 
much  questioned,  and  had  never  been  expressly  approbated 
by  the  government.  The  disadvantage  was  altogether 
against  America.  If  successful,  the  loss  of  a  single  ship  of 
war  was  of  very  little  consequence  to  Great  Britain,  and 
made  no  difference  in  her  naval  operations ;  if  unsuccessful, 
the  loss  of  a  frigate  was  a  serious  injury  to  the  Amerfcan 
navy,  and  very  much  crippled  its  operations.  After  the 
events  of  1812,  such  challenges  were  not  nesessary  to  estab- 
lish the  American  naval  character :  it  was  known  and  feared 
abroad,  and  cherished  and  respected  at  home. 

Destruction  of  the  Peacock,  On  the  24th  of  February,  off 
Demarara,  Captain  Lawrence  fell  in  with  the  brig  of  war 
Peacock,  and  sunk  her,  after  a  close  action  of  fifteen  minutes: 
a  few  minutes  before  she  went  down,  she  struck  her  colours, 
and  hoisted  a  signal  of  distress.  The  firing  instantly  ceased, 
and  the  boats  of  the  Hornet  immediately  went  to  the  relief  of 
the  crew;  but  were  not  able  to  save  all.  Thirteen  of  them, 
together  with  four  of  Captain  Lawrence's  men,  who  were  on 
board  endeavouring  to  get  off  the  prisoners,  went  down  with 
her.  Three  impressed  American  seamen,  on  board  the  Pea- 
cock, at  the  commencement  of  the  action  requested  that  they 
might  go  below,  as  they  could  not  fight  against  their  country;, 
they  were  refused  in  the  most  insolent  manner,  and  ordered  to 
their  quarters;  one  of  them  was  killed  in  the  action,  the  others 
taken  on  board  the  Hornet  with  the  prisoners.  The  Peacock 
mounted  twenty  guns,  and  had  a  crew  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-four  men.*  On  this  event,  the  Halifax  papers  remark,, 
"  If  a  vessel  had  been  moored  for  the  sole  purpose  of  experi- 
ment, it  is  not  probable  she  could  have  been  sunk  in  so  short 
a  time.  It  will  not  do  for  our  ressels  to  fight  theirs  single- 
handed.  The  Americans  are  -a  dead  nip."  The  numbei- 
of  prisoners  now  on  board  the  Hornet,  and  the  want  of  pro- 

"^  liawpeiwre'a  letter  to  th^  secretary  of  the  nary. 


176  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chaf   9. 

visions  rendered  it  necessary  for  Captain  Lawrence  to  return 
to  the  United  States.  The  sailors  of  the  Hornet,  with  the 
characteristic  generosity  of  American  tars,  shared  with  the 
surviving  crew  of  the  Peacock  their  scanty  provisions,  and 
made  each  of  them  a  present  of  two  shirts,  a  jacket,  and  a 
pair  of  trowsers,  to  supply  their  wants  occasioned  by  the 
sinking  of  their  ship. 

Shannon  and  Chesapeake.  On  his  return  to  the  United 
States,  Captain  Lawrence  was  promoted  to  the  command  of 
the  Chesapeake,  then  ready  for  sea  in  Boston  harbour.  That 
port  was  then  strictly  blockaded  by  the  Shannon  and  Tenedos 
frigates.  Scarcely  had  Lawrence  taken  the  command  of  his 
ship,  when  he  received  a  challenge  from  Captain  Brooke  to 
meet  the  Shannon  in  single  combat,  giving  a  particular  de- 
scription of  her  armament,  and  engaging  that  the  Tenedos 
should  bo  out  of  the  reach  of  assistance.  There  were  pow- 
erful reasons  which  would  have  induced  a  more  cautious  com- 
mander than  Captain  Lawrence  to  have  declined  the  chal- 
lenge. The  Shannon  had  the  advantage  in  men  and  guns; 
she  rated  as  a  thirty-eight,  but  mounted  fifty-two ;  the  Ches- 
apeake rated  thirty-six,  and  mounted  forty-eight;  Captain 
Brooke  could  select  his  men  from  both  ships;  Captain  Law- 
rence's first  lieutenant  was  sick  on  shore,  three  others  had 
recently  left  the  ship ;  of  the  four  which  remained,  two  were 
only  midshipmen,  acting  as  lieutenants  ;  part  of  his  crew 
were  new  hands,  and  the  others  were  complaining  on  account 
of  arrearages  of  pay  and  prize-money,  and  from  a  long  stay 
in  port  had  lost  much  of  their  ardour;  the  ship  and  crew 
were  strangers  to  him  ;  and  the  Chesapeake,  from  her  encouii 
ter  with  the  Leopard,  had  the  character  of  an  unlucky  ship. 
Under  these  embarrassments,  Captain  Lawrence  accepted 
the  challenge,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  June,  sailed 
out  of  the  harbour  to  meet  the  Shannon  :  the  latter  observing 
her  coming  out,  bore  away.  The  Chesapeake  followed  her 
until  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  she  hauled  up  and 
fired  a  gun,  on  which  the  Shannon  hove  too ;  both  ships  ma- 


;^S13.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  377 

noeuvred  for  some  time,  until  a  quarter  before  six,  when  they 
approached  within  pistol-shot,  and  exchanged  broadsides. 
These  were  both  destructive,  but  the  fire  of  the  Shannon 
was  most  fatal  in  the  destruction  of  officers ;  the  fourth  lieu- 
tenant Mr,  Ballard,  was  mortally  wounded,  the  sailing  master 
was  killed,  and  Captain  Lawrence  received  a  musket  ball  in 
his  leg,  which  caused  great  pain  and  profuse  bleeding,  but  he 
leaned  on  the  companion  way,  and  continued  to  give  orders 
and  animate  his  men.  A  second  and  third  broadsides  were 
exchanged  with  evident  advantage  to  the  Chesapeake,  but 
unfortunately  among  the  now  wounded  was  the  first  lieute- 
nant Mr.  Ludlow  who  was  carried  below ;  three  men  were 
successively  shot  from  the  helm,  in  about  twelve  minutes  from 
the  commencement  of  the  action,  and  as  the  hands  were 
shifting,  a  shot  disabled  her  foresail,  so  that  she  could  no 
longer  answer  her  helm,  and  her  anchor  caught  in  one  of 
the  after  ports  of  the  Shannon,  which  enabled  the  latter  to 
rake  her  upper  deck.  As  soon  as  Captain  Lawrence  per- 
ceived that  she  was  falling  to  leeward,  and  that  by  the  Shan- 
non's filling  she  would  fall  on  board,  he  called  the  boarders, 
and  was  giving  orders  about  the  foresail,  when  he  received  a 
musket-ball  in  his  body.  The  bugle-man  who  should  have 
called  the  boarders  did  not  do  his  duty;  and  at  this  moment 
Commodore  Brooke,  whose  ship  had  suffered  so  much  that 
he  was  preparing  to  repel  boarding,  perceiving  from  this 
accident  how  the  deck  of  the  Chesapeake  was  swept,  jump- 
ed on  board  with  about  twenty  men ;  they  would  have  been 
instantly  repelled,  but  the  captain,  the  first  lieutenant,  the 
sailing  master,  the  boatswain,  the  lieutenant  of  marines,  the 
only  acting  lieutenant  on  the  spar  deck,  were  all  killed  or 
disabled.  At  this  moment  Lieutenant  Cox  ran  on  deck,  just 
in  time  to  receive  his  falling  commander  and  bear  him  below. 
Lieutenant  Budd  led  up  the  boarders,  but  only  fifteen  or 
twenty  would  follow  him,  and  with  these  he  defended  the  ship 
until  he  was  disabled.  Lieutenant  Ludlow,  wounded  as  he 
was,  having  laid  his  commander  in  the  ward-room,  hurried 

23 


X 


178  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  9. 

upon  deck  and  soon  received  a  mortal  wound  from  a  sabre. 
,  The  marines  who  were  engaged  fought  with  desperate  cour- 
\     age,  but  they  were  few  in  number,  many  of  them  having  fol- 
"^    lowed  the  boatswain's  mate,  a  Portuguese,  who  exclaimed  as 
^,  he  skulked  below,  "  so  much  for  not  paying  men  their  prize- 
*^       money."    Meanwhile  the  Shannon  threw  on  board  sixty  addi 
tional  men,  who  soon  succeeded  in  overpowering  the  few  re- 
maining seamen  of  the  Chesapeake,  and  taking  possession 
.   of  the  ship,  which  was  not  surrendered  by  any  signal  of  sub- 
."^ >. mission,  but  became  the  enemy's  only   because  they  were 
able  to  overwhelm  ail  who  were  in  a  condition  to  resist.     As 
'Captain  Lawrence  was  carried  below,  he  perceived  the  me- 
lancholy condition  of  the  Chesapeake,  and  exclaimed,  "  Don't 
give  up  the  ship,  let  her  flag  wave  while  I  live ;"  but  it  was 
too  late  to  resist,  the  enemy  had  complete  command  of  the 
^^-   ship.     As  Captain  Lawrence's  wounds  would  not  admit  of 
^\  his  removal,  he   lay  in  the  ward-room  surrounded  by  his 
wounded  and  dying  officers,  and  after  lingering  in  great  pain 
four  days,  expired  on  the  5th  of  June.     His  body  was  wrap- 
"  :    ped  in  the  colours  of  the  Chesapeake  and  laid  on  the  quarter- 
deck until  their  arrival  in  Hahfax,  where  he  and  Lieutenant 
Ludlow   were   buried   with  the  highest  military  and   naval 
honours  ;  their  palls  were  supported  by  the  oldest  captains 
in  the  navy  then  in  port,  and   no  demonstrations   of  respect 
were  omitted  to  honour  the  remains  of  the  brave  but  unfor- 
lunSte  strangers.    In  this  sanguinary  conflict  the  Chesapeake 
lost  her  commander  and  forty-seven  men  killed,  and  ninety- 
seven  wounded,  of  whom  fourteen  afterwards  died.     On  the 
part  of  the  Shannon,  the  first  leiutenant,  the  purser,  captain's 
clerk,  and  twenty-three   seamen   were   killed,  and  Captain 
Brooke  and  fifty-seven  seamen  wounded. 

The  key  of  Captain  Lawrence's  store-room  was  demand- 
ed of  the  purser,  who  was  compelled  to  give  it  up,  observing 
at  the  same  time,  that  in  the  capture  of  the  Guerriere,  Mace- 
donian, and  Java,  the  most  scrupulous  regard  was  paid  to  the 
private  property  of  the  British  officers  :  that  Captain  Law- 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  171> 

rence  had  laid  in  stores  for  a  long  cruise,  the  vahie  of  which 
would  be  a  great  object  to  his  widow  and  family,  for  whose 
use  he  was  desirous  of  preserving  them ;  his  request  was 
haughtily  refused. 

Captain  Crowninshield,  of  Salem,  having  obtained  permis- 
sion from  the  President,  prepared  a  ship  at  his  own  expense, 
and  proceeded  to  Halifax  with  twelve  masters  of  vessels  as 
his  crew;  obtained  the  bodies  of  Captain  Lawrence,  and 
Lieutenant  Ludlow,  and  returned  to  Salem  with  the  remains 
of  these  gallant  officers,  on  the  19th  of  August,  where  funeral 
honours  were  performed,  and  a  eulogy  pronounced  by  Judge 
Story.  The  friends  of  Captain  Lawrence  and  Lieutenant  Lud- 
low were  desirous  that  their  remains  should  be  interred  at  New- 
York,  where  the  lady  of  Captain  Lawrence  and  the  families 
of  both  the  heroes  resided;  the  corpses  were  conveyed. from 
Salem  to  New-York  by  land,  and  there  interred  with  all  the 
respect  due  to  deceased  merit.  Captain  Lawrence  had  been 
bred  to  the  sea  from  the  age  of  twelve,  and  distinguished  him- 
self before  Tripoli,  with  Decatur.  He  was  slain  at  the  age 
of  thirty-two,  at  the  post  of  honour.     Tn  the  year   1808  he 

married  the  daughter  of ,  a  respectable  merchant  of 

the  city  of  New- York  ;  he  left  her  with  two  children,  and  in 
a  situation  in  which  the  news  of  his  death  must  have  been 
peculiarly  distressing.  The  catastrophe  of  the  Chesapeake 
was  kept  from  her  knowledge  until  the  birth  of  twin  children, 
rendered  the  communication  proper.  The  sympathies  oHhc 
nation  in  some  measure  assuaged  the  widow's  grief.* 

Cruise  of  the  Argus.  In  May  1813,  the  brig  Argus,  Cap- 
tain Allen,  sailed  from  the  United  States  for  France,  with 
Mr.  Crawford,  appointed  ambassador  to  the  French  court, 
in  the  place  of  Mr.  Barlow,  deceased ;  he  was  so  fortunate  as 
to  elude  the  British  cruisers,  and  arrive  at  L'Orient  in  twenty- 
three  days.  From  L'Orient  Captain  Allen  sailed  to  the 
Irish  Channel,  for  the  purpose  of  annoying  the  British  coast  \ 

*  Life  of  Captain  Lawrence. 


180  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Cjiai'  % 

ing  trade,  and  interrupting  the  communication  between  Eng- 
land and  Ireland.  It  being  entirely  unexpected  by  the 
British,  that  an  American  ship  should  venture  into  this  chan- 
nel in  search  of  prizes ;  they  had  deemed  it  unnecessary  to 
station  any  force  there  for  the  protection  of  their  trade ;  and 
Captain  Allen,  in  the  course  of  six  weeks,  took  and  destroyed 
British  property  to  an  amount,  according  to  their  own  estima- 
tion, of  two  millions  of  dollars.  His  distance  from  any 
friendly  port  to  which  he  might  conduct  his  prizes,  rendered 
it  necessary  to  destroy  them;  non-combatant  passengers 
were  discharged  with  all  their  private  property;  prisoners  of 
war  paroled,  and  sent  on  shore,  and  the  vessels  sunk.  So 
unexpected  and  unwelcome  a  visiter  on  their  coast  did  not 
long  escape  the  attention  of  the  British  admiralty. 

Capture,  The  Sea-Horse,  a  thirty-eight  gun  frigate,  and 
the  Pehcan  ship  of  war  of  twenty  guns,  were  ordered  to  the 
Irish  Channel  in  quest  of  the  Argus;  and  on  the  14th  of 
August,  the  Pelican  fell  in  with  her,  and  commenced  the 
action :  after  a  close  contest  of  forty-three  minutes,  the  Sea- 
Horse  heaving  in  sight,  the  Argus  surrendered.  Early  in  the 
action  Captain  Allen  had  his  left  leg  shot  away  by  a  cannon- 
ball,  but  refused  to  be  carried  below  until  he  fainted  from  loss 
of  blood.  His  leg  was  amputated  above  the  knee,  and  every 
surgical  aid  afforded,  but  he  survived  only  four  days,  and  died 
on  the  18th  in  Plymouth  hospital. 

Enterprise  and  Boxer,  On  the  5th  of  September,  the 
United  States  brig  Enterprise  sailed  from  Portsmouth,  and 
on  the  next  day  fell  in  with  the  British  brig  Boxer;  the  latter 
immediately  fired  a  shot  as  a  challenge,  hoisted  English 
colours,  and  bore  down  on  the  Enterprise.  The  American 
vessel  employed  herself  in  tacking,  and  making  preparations 
for  action ;  having  obtained  the  weathergage,  she  manceu- 
vered  some  time  to  try  her  sailing,  and  ascertain  the  force  of 
her  antagonist ;  at  length  she  shortened  sail,  hoisted  her 
ensigns,  and  fired  three  shot  in  answer  to  the  challenge.  The 
t^oxer  now  bore  up  within  half  pistol-shot,  gave  three  cheers, 


igl3.  HISTORY  OF  T|IE  LATE  WAR.  181 

and  fired  her  starboard  broadside ;  this  was  answered  by  like 
cheers,  and  a  larboard  broadside  from  the  Enterprise,  who 
now  having  the  advantage  of  the  wind,  ranged  ahead  of  her 
enemy,  rounded  to  on  the  larboard  tack,  and  commenced  a 
raking  broadside.  The  Boxer's  main-top-sail,  and  top-sail- 
yards  came  down,  and  the  Enterprise  taking  a  raking  position 
on  the  starboard-bow  of  her  antagonist,  and  opening  a  raking 
fire,  compelled  her  to  cry  out  for  quarter.  The  colours  being 
nailed  to  the  mast,  could  not  be  taken  down,  but  the  firing 
ceased,  and  the  ship  surrendered.  The  action  lasted  three 
quarters  of  an  hour ;  in  the  early  part  of  it,  Captain  Blythe, 
commander  of  the  Boxer,  and  Lieutenant  Burrows  of  the 
Enterprise,  were  both  mortally  wounded.  The  latter  refused 
to  be  carried  below  until  the  sword  of  his  enemy  was  pre- 
sented to  him;  when  grasping  it  with  both  hands,  he  ex- 
claimed, "  I  am  now  satisfied,  I  die  contented."  The  Enter- 
prise was  rated  as  a  12  gun  brig  of  165  tons,  with  a  crew  of 
102  men  ;  the  Boxer,  as  a  fourteen  gun  brig  of  200  tons,  with 
a  crew  of  104  men.  In  the  action  she  had  twenty-five  killed 
and  fourteen  wounded;  the  Enterprise  four  killed  and  eleven 
wounded. 

The  American  ship,  with  her  prize,  made  the  harbour  of 
Portland.  The  bodies  of  the  two  commanders  were  brought 
on  shore  in  ten  oared  barges,  rowed  at  minute  strokes  by 
shipmasters,  accompanied  by  all  the  barges  and  boats  in  the 
harbour,  the  two  vessels  firing  minute-guns.  At  the  wharf  a 
procession  was  formed,  consisting  of  the  civil  and  military 
authorities,  and  the  citizens  of  the  town,  the  corpse  of  Lieu- 
tenant Burrows  preceding,  and  after  the  performance  of 
appropriate  funeral  service,  the  remains  of  the  two  young 
naval  heroes  were  deposited  by  the  side  of  each  other  in 
peace. 

Cruise  of  the  Essex  in  the  Pacific.  The  Essex,  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Porter,  sailed  from  the  Delaware  on  the 
27th  of  October,  1812,  with  orders  to  join  the  squadron  under 
Commodore  Bainbridge,  destined  for  the  Pacific  ocean ;  {le 


182  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chap.  9. 

proceeded  to  ports  Praya,  Fernando,  de  Noronho,  and  Cape 
Frio,  designated  in  his  instructions  as  places  of  rendez- 
vous, on  the  coast  of  South  America,  for  the  meeting  of  the 
squadron.  On  his  passage  he  captured  the  British  packet 
Nocton,  took  out  of  her  11,000/.  sterling  in  specie,  and  sent 
her  to  the  United  States.  Not  finding  the  residue  of  the 
squadron  at  the  places  appointed,  he  continued  his  cruise  off 
Rio  de  Janeiro  until  the  12th  of  January,  captured  a  schooner 
laden  with  hides  and  tallow,  and  sent  her  into  Porto  Rico, 
and  proceeded  to  the  island  of  St.  Catharine,  on  the  Brazil 
coast  for  supplies.  Having  here  obtained  such  information 
as  satisfied  him  that  he  should  not  be  joined  by  the  other 
ships,  agreeably  to  his  instructions  adapted  to  such  an  event, 
he  sailed  alone  for  the  Pacific  ocean,  and  arrived  at  Valparaiso, 
a  Spanish  town  and  harbour  on  the  coast  of  Chili,  on  the  14th 
of  March.  Having  here  obtained  the  necessary  supplies,  he  ran 
down  the  coast  of  Chili  and  Peni,  and  fell  in  with  a  Peruvian 
corsair,  who  had  taken  two  American  whale  ships  on  the  coast, 
•and  confined  their  crews  as  prisoners.  The  captain  of  the 
corsair  declared,  that,  as  allies  of  Great  Britain,  he  should 
capture  all  American  vessels  he  should  meet,  under  an  ex- 
pectation that  there  might  be  a  war  between  Spain  and  the 
United  States.  Captain  Porter  disarmed  the  corsair,  liberated 
the  Americans,  and  addressed  a  note  to  the  viceroy  of  Peru, 
explaining  the  reasons  of  his  conduct.  He  then  proceeded 
to  Lima,  and  re-captured  one  of  the  whale  ships  as  she  was 
entering  the  port.  From  Lima  he  cruised  among  the  Galli- 
pago  Islands,  the  seat  of  the  British  whale  fishery,  from  the 
17th  of  April  until  the  3d  of  October;  during  this  cruise  he 
captured  twelve  British  letters  of  marque,  whale  ships, 
having  on  board  three  hundred  men,  and  armed  with  one 
hundred  and  seven  guns :  One  of  them  he  equipped  as  a  ship 
of  war,  under  the  name  of  the  Essex  Junior,  and  gave  her  in 
command  to  Lieutenant  Downes,  retained  one  as  a  store  ship, 
gave  up  two  to  the  prisoners  whom  he  paroled,  and  sent  six 
others  into  port  under  convoy  of  the  Essex  Junior.     On  the 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  183 

return  of  Lieutenant  Downes  from  Valparaiso,  he  learned 
that  a  squadron  under  Commodore  Hillyer,  consisting  of  the 
Phebe  of  thirty-six  guns,  two  sloops  of  war  of  twenty  guns, 
and  a  store-ship,  had  been  in  pursuit  of  him  on  the  coast  of 
Brazil,  and  had  left  that  coast,  and  sailed  for  the  Pacific  on 
the  6th  of  July. 

Possession  of  Madison  Island.  On  receiving  this  intelli- 
gence. Captain  Porter  proceeded  with  the  remainder  of  his 
prizes,  to  Nooahevah,  or  Madison  Island,  in  the  Washington 
groupe,  lately  discovered  by  Captain  Ingraham  of  Boston. 
On  the  19th  of  November  he  took  formal  possession  of  the 
island,  in  the  name  of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
erected  fort  Madison,  mounted  four  guns,  deposited  at  the 
foot  of  the  flag-staff  a  copy  of  his  declaration,  and  several 
pieces  of  American  coin ;  built  a  village  consisting  of  six 
houses,  a  rope-walk,  and  bakery,  and  established  a  friendly 
intercourse  and  trade  with  the  natives.  This  formal  pos- 
session was  taken  under  a  salute  of  seventeen  guns  from  fort 
Madison,  and  the  shipping  in  the  harbour,  now  denominated 
Massachusetts  bay.  At  this  station  he  proceeded  to  repair 
his  ships,  procure  supplies,  and  make  preparation  to  meet 
his  expected  enemy ;  having  accomplished  these  objects  he 
left  three  of  his  prizes  in  charge  of  Lieutenant  Gamble,  under 
the  guns  of  the  battery,  and  returned  to  the  coast  of  Chili  on 
the  14th  of  January,  1814. 

The  expedition  had  thus  far  been  attended  with  the  most 
brilliant  success.  Captain  Porter  had  broken  down  the 
British  navigation  in  the  Pacific;  the  vessels  which  had 
escaped  capture,  were  panic-struck,  and  confined  to  their 
ports.  The  most  ample  protection  had  been  afforded  to  the 
numerous  American  shipping  in  those  seas,  which  until  his 
arrival,  were  altogether  unprotected.  The  British  whale 
fishery  was  entirely  broken  up,  and  those  engaged  in  it  sus- 
tained losses  estimated  at  two  and  an  half  millions  of  dollars. 
The  captures  had  furnished  the  Essex  with  abundance  of 
naval  stores,  provisions,  and  clothing,  and  enabled  Captain 


184  inSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  9. 

Porter  to  quarter  himself  on  his  enemy,  and  make  considera- 
ble advances  to  his  men.  Had  he  followed  the  dictates  of 
prudence,  on  hearing  of  Commodore  Hillyer's  squadron 
being  in  pursuit  of  him,  he  would  have  avoided  a  force  so 
manifestly  superior,  and  returned  to  the  United  States  with 
the  fruits  of  his  cruise.  He  had  accomplished  the  object  of 
his  voyage ;  there  was  litde  more  to  be  done  in  those  seas  ; 
and  there  was  a  squadron  in  pursuit  of  him  of  such  superior 
force,  as  rendered  it  his  imperious  duty  to  avoid  it ;  but  the 
maxims  of  prudence  do  not  always  regulate  the  conduct  of 
the  brave.  The  brilliant  successes  of  1812  had  induced  the 
American  naval  commanders  to  hazard  combats  when  the 
odds  was  manifestly  against  them,  while  the  British  studiously 
avoided  any  rencontre,  unless  with  evident  superiority. 
The  result  was  such  as  might  be  expected  from  such  a  course; 
American  bravery  continued  to  distinguish  itself  with  in- 
creasing lustre  in  the  most  desperate  courage,  but  the  balance 
of  captures  of  armed  ships  after  the  year  1812  was  greatly 
against  the  American  navy. 

Capture  of  the  Essex,  Captain  Porter  returned  to  Val- 
paraiso, and  cruised  off  that  port  expressly  with  a  view  of 
meeting  his  enemy.  His  wishes  were  soon  gratified.  The 
squadron  arrived  at  Valparaiso  about  the  1st  of  February, 
and  anchored  along  side  of  the  Essex  ;  Hillyer  pohtely  in- 
quired after  the  health  of  Captain  Porter,  observing  that  his 
ship  was  cleared  for  action,  and  his  men  prepared  for  board- 
ing ;  Porter  replied,  "  If  by  any  accident  you  get  on  board 
me,  I  assure  you  great  confusion  will  take  place.:  I  am  prepar- 
ed to  receive  you,  but  being  in  a  neutral  port,  1  shall  only  act 
on  the  defensive.''  Hillyer  readily  replied  he  had  no  such 
intention.  At  this  instant  his  ship  accidentally  took  aback  of 
the  starboard  bow,  and  her  yards  nearly  locked  with  the 
Essex  ;  Porter  immediately  called  his  men  to  board  the  Phebe, 
■who  were  ready  at  the  word;  when  Commodore  Hillyer  ex- 
claimed in  great  agitation,  "  I  had  no  intention  of  getting  on 
board  you ;  I  did  not  mean  to  get  so  near."     His  ship  then 


Idl3.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  1 85 

fell  off  with  her  jib-boom  over  the  decks  of  the  Essex,  her 
bows  exposed  to  a  broadside,  her  stern  to  the  fire  of  the  Essex 
Junior,  and  her  crew  in  the  greatest  confusion  ;  in  this  position 
the  Phebe  might  have  been  taken  or  destroyed  in  fifteen 
minutes;  but  respecting  the  neutrality  of  the  port,  Captain 
Porter  made  no  attack.  After  he  had  brought  his  ship  to 
anchor.  Commodore  Hillyer  and  Captain  Tucker  of  the 
Cherub,  visited  Captain  Porter  on  shore ;  on  being  inquired 
of  whether  they  meant  to  respect  the  neutrahty  of  the  port, 
Commodore  Hillyer  replied,  "  Sir,  you  have  paid  such  respect 
to  it  that  I  feel  myself  bound  in  honour  to  do  the  same."  The 
British  squadron  having  obtained  their  supplies,  cruised  off 
the  harbour  of  Valparaiso  for  six  weeks  closely  blockading 
the  Essex  and  Essex  Junior.  Captain  Porter  made  several 
attempts  to  obtain  a  single  combat  with  the  Phebe,  but  with- 
out etFect,  the  British  ships  keeping  constantly  within  hail  of 
each  other.  On  the  28th  of  March,  they  were  out  of  sight, 
and  the  American  ships  sailed  out  of  the  harbour,  and  endea- 
voured to  escape ;  but  a  heavy  squall  struck  the  Essex,  and 
carried  away  her  main-top-mast,  precipitating  the  men  aloft 
into  the  sea.  Both  British  ships  now  appeared,  and  gave 
chase;  the  Essex  endeavoured  to  regain  the  harbour,  but  being 
unable  to  reach  the  common  anchorage,  ran  into  a  small  bay 
three  quarters  of  a  mile  to  the  leeward  of  the  battery  on  the 
east  side  of  the  harbour,  and  anchored  within  pistol-shot  of 
the  shore.  The  British  approached  with  an  evident  de- 
sign of  making  an  attack,  regardless  of  the  neutrality  of  the 
place ;  indeed  the  admirality  had  passed  an  order,  in  violation 
of  an  acknowledged  rule  of  the  law  of  rvations,  enjoining 
the  commanders  of  their  ships  in  the  South  Seas,  not  to  re- 
spect any  port  as  neutral  where  the  Essex  should  be  found. 
Captain  Porter  prepared  his  ship  for  action  as  well  as  her 
crippled  state  would  admit,  determined  at  least  that  ihe  vic- 
tory should  not  be  a  bloodless  one  to  his  enemy^  At  four 
o'clock  P.  M.  the  action  commenced  at  close  quarters,  the 
Phebe  under  the  stern,  and  the  Cherub  on  the  starboard  bow 

24 


t^e  tfiSTORY  OF  THE  LfATE  WAR.  Chap  ©. 

of  the  Essex  ;  but  the  Cherub,  soon  finding  herself  in  too 
hot  a  fire,  immediately  changed  her  position,  and  placed  her- 
self under  the  stern  also,  where  both  ships  kept  up  a  severe 
and  raking  fire.  The  Essex,  with  three  long  twelves  from 
her  stern  ports,  managed  with  such  skill  and  bravery  as  within 
half  an  hour  to  compel  her  enemy  to  haul  off  and  repair. 
It  was  evidently  the  object  of  Commodore  Hillyer,  viewing 
success  as  ultimately  sure,  to  risk  nothing  from  the  daring 
courage  of  his  antagonist,  but  to  obtain  the  Essex  at  as 
cheap  a  rate  as  possible.  All  his  manoeuvres  were  deliberate 
and  wary;  he  saw  his  antagonist  completely  in  his  power, 
and  prepared  to  make  prize  of  him  in  the  surest  and  safest 
manner^.  The  situation  of  the  Essex  in  the  mean  time,  was 
galling  in  the  extreme ;  crippled  and  shattered,  and  with 
many  of  her  crew  killed  and  wounded,  she  lay  waiting  the 
convenience  of  her  enemy  to  renew  the  scene  of  slaughter 
at  his  pleasure,  without  the  hope  of  escape  or  revenge ;  her 
brave  crew,  however,  without  being  disheartened,  were  arous- 
ed to  desperation,  and  by  hoisting  ensigns  in  the  rigging  and 
jacks  in  dilferent  parts  of  the  ship,  bid  the  enemy  defiance,  and 
evinced  their  determination  to  hold  out  to  the  last.  The 
British  having  repaired  their  damages,  now  placed  both 
ships  on  the  starboard  quarter  of  the  Essex,  out  of  the 
reach  of  her  carronades  and  where  her  stern  gwns  could  not 
be  brought  to  bear.  Here  they  kept  up  a  most  destructive 
fire,  which  Captain  Porter  was  not  able  to  return ;  the  latter 
therefore  saw  no  hopes  of  injuring  his  antagonist,  but  by 
getting  under  way  and  becoming  the  assailant ;  from  the  man- 
gled state  of  his  rigging,  he  could  hoist  no  sail  but  his  flying- 
jib;  this  being  done,  he  cut  his  cable  and  ran  down  on  both 
ships,  with  an  intention  of  boarding  the  Phebe.  For  a  short 
time  he  was  enabled  to  close  with  the  enemy,  and  the  firing  on 
both  sides  was  tremendous.  The  decks  of  the  Essex  were 
itrewed  with  dead,  and  her  cock-pit  filled  with  wounded. 
The  Cherub  at  the  same  time,  was  obhged  to  haul  off,  and 
could  only  keep  up  a  distant  firing  with  her  Long  guns.  The 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LA-ftE  WAILif?  187 

disabled  state  of  the  Essex  prevented  her  from  keeping  at 
close  quarters  with  the  Phebe,  who,  by  edging  off,  chose  a 
distance  which  best  suited  her  long  guns.  Many  of  the 
guns  of  the  Essex  were  rendered  useless,  many  had  their 
whole  crews  destroyed,  and  were  again  manned  from  those 
guns  which  were  dismounted;  one  gun  was  thus  manned 
three  times,  and  fifteen  men  were  slain  around  it  in  the  course 
of  the  action,  though  its  captain  escaped  with  only  a  slight 
wound. 

Captain  Porter,  finding  it   impossible   to   close   with   the 
enemy,  now  determined  to  run  his  ship  on  shore,  land  the 
crew,  and  destroy  her.     He  had  approached  within  musket 
shot  of  the  shore,  and  had  every  prospect  of  succeedingj 
when  a  land-breeze  suddenly  set  in,  and  drove  him  down 
directly  upon  the  Phebe,  exposing  him  to  a  raking  fire.     His 
ship  was  now  totally  unmanageble;  but  as  the  enemy  were 
to  the  leeward,  and  the  head  of  the  Essex  towards  him,  Cap- 
tain Porter  still  had  a  faint  hope  of  boarding.  At  this  moment 
Lieutenant  Downes  of  the  Essex  Junior,  came  on  board  to 
receive  the  last  orders  of  Captain  Porter,  expecting  every 
moment  when  he  would  be  a  prisoner  or  a  corpse.     The  ser- 
vices of  the  Essex  Junior  could  now  be  of  no  avail.  Captain 
Porter  therefore  directed  him  to  return  to  his  own  ship,  and 
be  prepared  for  defending  or  destroying  her.     The  slaughter 
onboard  the  Essex  now  became  horrible;   the  enemy  con- 
tinued to  rake  her  while  she  could  not  bring  a  gun  to  bear 
upon  him..     Still  her  commander,  with  an  obstinacy  that  bor- 
dered on  desperation,  kept  up  the  hopeless  conflict.     As  a 
last  expedient,  a  hawser  was  bent  to  the  sheet  anchor,  and 
the  anchor  cut  from  the  bows  to  bring  the  ship's  head  round  \_ 
this  succeeded,  and  the  broadside  of  the  Essex  was  agairt 
brought  to  bear;  as  the  enemy  were  nmch  crippled.  Captain 
Porter  thought  he  might  drift  out  of  gun-shot  before  he  dis- 
covered that  the  Essex  was  anchored.     The  hawser  parted, 
the  Essex  drifted  towards  the  enemy,   and  her  last  hope 
failed.     She  had  taken  fire  several  times  during  the  action. 


188  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,    '  Chap.  »• 

and  was  at  this  moment  on  fire  both  fore  and  aft ;  the  flames 
were  bursting  up  each  hatchway;  a  large  quantity  of  pow- 
der below  had  exploded,  attended  with  the  cry  that  the  mag- 
azine was  on  fire.  Captain  Porter  turned  his  attention  to 
rescuing  as  many  of  his  brave  crew  as  possible;  finding  his 
distance  fiom  the  shore  did  not  exceed  three  quarters  of  a 
mile,  he  hoped  many  would  be  able  to  save  themselves, 
should  the  ship  blow  up ;  his  boats  had  been  cut  to  pieces, 
but  he  directed  as  many  of  his  men  as  could  swim  to  mak<^ 
for  the  shore  ;  some  reached  it,  some  were  taken  by  the 
enemy,  and  many  perished  in  the  attempt;  most  of  the  crew 
however,  preferred  remaining  on  board  the  ship,  and  sharing 
the  fate  of  their  gallant  commander.  Renewed  exertions  were 
now  made  to  extinguish  the  flames,  which  finally  succeeded, 
and  the  firing  recommenced,  but  the  crew  were  so  weakened 
that  all  further  resistance  was  evidently  fruitless.  On  sum- 
moning the  officers  of  divisions  for  consultation,  Captain  Por- 
ter found  only  Lieutenant  M'Knight  remaining.  Accounts 
from  every  part  of  the  ship  were  deplorable,  representing  her 
in  a  most  shattered  and  crippled  condition,  in  imminent  dan- 
ger of  sinking,  and  so  crowded  with  the  w^ounded  and  dying, 
that  even  the  birth-deck  could  hold  no  more;  and  many  were 
killed  while  under  the  operations  of  tiie  surgeon.  All  the 
carpenter's  gang  were  either  killed  or  wounded ;  one  of  them, 
who  had  been  over  the  side  to  stop  the  leaks,  had  his  slings 
shot  away,  and  with  the  utmost  difliculty  saved  himself  from 
drowning.  In  the  mean  time  it  had  become  calm,  and  from 
the  smoothness  of  the  water,  and  the  secure  distance  at  which 
the  enemy  lay,  he  was  enabled  to  keep  up  a  constant  fire, 
aiming  with  coolness  and  certainty,  as  at  a  target,  and  hulling 
her  with  every  shot.  At  twenty  minutes  past  six,  Captain 
Porter  gave  the  painful  order  to  strike  the  colours.  This 
not  being  immediately  perceived,  the  firing  continued  for 
about  ten  minutes,  Captain  Porter  concluding  that  they  mcaiiL 
to  give  no  quarter,  was  about  to  rehoist  his  flag,  and  fight 
until  his  ship  sunk,  when  the  firing  on  the  part  of  the  British 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  189 

ceased,  and  the  ship  was  taken  possession  of  by  the  enemy. 
During  the  action,  Mr.  Poinsett,  the  American  consul  at  Val- 
paraiso, called  on  the  governor  to  protect  the  Essex,  and 
maintain  the  neutrahty  of  the  port,  with  the  guns  of  the  fort; 
the  governor  replied,  that  he  would  send  an  officer  to  request 
Commodore  Hillyer  to  cease  firing,  but  should  not  use  force 
under  any  circumstances.  This  sanguinary  and  obstinately 
fought  battle,  was  in  the  presence  of  the  whole  population 
of  Valparaiso,  and  the  neighbouring  country.  Thousands  of 
spectators  covered  the  neighbouring  heights ;  some  of  the 
shot  fell  among  the  crowd,  who,  in  the  eagerness  to  gratify 
their  curiosity,  ventured  down  on  the  beach.  Touched  with 
the  forlorn  situation  of  the  Essex,  and  filled  with  admiration 
at  the  persevering  bravery  of  her  crew,  a  generous  anxiety 
ran  through  the  multitude  for  her  fate ;  shouts  of  delight  arose, 
when  by  any  vicissitude  of  batde,  or  prompt  expedient,  a 
chance  seemed  to  turn  up  in  her  favour;  and  the  eager  spec- 
tators were  seen  to  wring  their  hands,  and  utter  groans  of 
sympathy,  when  the  transient  hope  was  defeated,  and  the 
gallant  little  frigate  once  more  become  an  unresisting  object 
of  deliberate  slaughter.  The  crew  of  the  Essex  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  action,  consisted  of  255  men;  58  were 
killed,  65  wounded,  and  31  missing;  at  the  close  of  the  action 
there  were  only  seventy-five  men  on  board  capable  of  duty. 
The  crew  of  the  Phcbe  consisted  of  320,  and  of  the  Cherub 
of  I'SO  men.  *  The  capturing  force  in  men  and  guns,  was 
double  the  captured.  Although  a  valuable  ship  and  a  brave 
crew  were  lost  in  the  capture  of  the  Essex,  yet  such  consum- 
mate skill  and  bravery  were  displayed  in  the  defence,  as  fully 
maintained  the  honour  of  the  nation,  and  rendered  the  Amer- 
ican navy  formidable  to  their  enemies. 

Return  of  Commodore  Porter.  An  arrangement  was  made 
between  the  two  commanders,  that  the  Essex  Junior  should 
he  disarmed,  neutralized,  and  equipped  at  the  expense  of  the 


*  Captain  Porter's  letter  to  the  secretary  of  the  naVy. 


190  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  9. 

American  government,  and  being  furnished  with  a  passport 
to  protect  her  from  British  cruisers,  proceed  with  the  prison- 
ers on  parole,  to  the  United  States.  In  pursuance  of  this 
arrangement,  Captain  Porter,  with  the  remains  of  his  crew, 
commenced  the  voyage.  On  the  5th  of  July,  off  the  coast  of 
Long-Island,  he  was  stopped  by  the  British  ship  Saturn  ;  his 
papers  examined,  and  he  allowed  to  proceed.  Standing  in  the 
same  course  with  the  Saturn,  he  was  again  brought  to  about 
two  hours  afterwards,  his  papers  re-examined,  and  his  ship 
overhauled  and  detained.  On  Captain  Porter's  remonstrat- 
ing against  these  proceedings,  he  was  told  that  Commodore 
Hillyer  had  no  authority  to  make  such  an  arrangement,  and 
that  it  would  not  be  regarded.  At  seven  o'clock  the  next 
morning,  the  ships  being  then  about  forty  miles  from  land, 
off  the  east  end  of  Long-Island,  and  Captain  Porter  seeing  no 
prospect  of  his  ship's  being  released,  and  considering  him- 
self discharged  from  his  parole  by  this  detention,  in  contra- 
vention of  it,  ordered  his  boat  to  be  lowered  down,  manned 
and  armed,  into  which  he  threw  himself,  and  reached  the 
shore  in  safety.  The  inhabitants  strongly  suspecting  him  to 
be  an  English  officer,  closely  interrogated,  and  were  about 
to  arrest  him;  his  story  appeared  so  extraordinary,  that  they 
were  disposed  to  discredit  it,  but  on  showing  his  commis- 
sion, all  doubts  were  removed,  and  they  treated  him 
w^ith  the  most  enthusiastic  attention.  On  his  arrival  at 
New-York,  the  people  took  his  horses  from  the  carriage,  and 
amid  the  huzzas  of  the  citizens,  conveyed  him  to  his  lodgings. 
The  Essex  Junior  was  soon  after  liberated,  and  arrived  at 
New- York. 

Result  of  the  Naval  War  in  1813.  During  the  season  of 
1813,  numerous  privateers  issued  from  the  various  ports  in 
the  United  States,  and  harassed  and  captured  British  com- 
merce in  every  direction.  The  public  and  private  armed 
vessels  of  the  United  States,  within  the  year  1813,  captured 
and  sent  into  port,  or  destroyed  at  sea,  four  hundred  and  seven- 
teen British  ships,  and  estimating  them  at  an  average  of  forty 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  191 

thousand  dollars,  the  loss  to  the  British  trade  and  naviga- 
tion amounted  to  sixteen  and  a  half  millions  of  dollars. 
Owing  to  the  greater  caution  of  the  British  in  combating 
with  the  American  navy,  the  latter  had  made  no  captures  of 
British  frigates  to  add  to  their  trophies ;  yet  the  valour  dis- 
played in  every  rencontre,  fully  supported  that  high  character 
which  they  had  acquired  the  preceding  year.  The  strict 
blockade  of  the  sea-board  this  season,  interrupted  all  commu- 
nication by  water ;  travelling  and  transportation  between  the 
cities  on  the  coast  was  altogether  by  land.  The  hazards, 
inconveniencies,  and  expenses,  of  such  an  intercourse,  led  to 
an  investigation  and  devolopment  of  the  facilities  and  re- 
sources of  the  country  for  canal  navigation,  and  laid  the 
foundation  for  very  important  and  lasting  improvements. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Mobile  occupied;  annexed  to  the  Mississippi  Territory'. — Spanish  authori- 
ties removed  to  Pensacoia. — Southern  Indians. — Metliods  taken  by  the 
United  States  to  civilize  them. — Visited  by  Tecumseh. — Instigated  to 
War. — Massacre  at  Fort  Mimms. — Proceedings  in  Tennessee  and 
Georgia  relating  to  the  Creek  War. — ^Tennessee  Forces  under  Gen- 
eral Jackson. — Battle  at  Tallushatches. — Tallageda. — Destruction  of 
the  Hillabee  Towns  by  General  White. — Proceedings  of  the  Georgia 
Forces  under  General  Floyd. — Battle  at  the  Autossee  Towns. — Bat- 
tle at  Camp  Defiance. — General  Claiborne's  Expedition  against  Ecca- 
nachaca. — Battle. — Term  of  service  of  General  Jackson's  Volunteers 
expires. — Most  of  them  leave  him. — His  Army  recruited. — His  first 
Expedition  to  the  Great  Bend  of  the  Tallapoosa. — Battle. — Returns 
to  Fort  Strother. — Battle  at  Enotachopeo  Creek. — Second  Expedition 
to  the  Great  Bend.— Battle.— End  of  the  Creek  War.-- -Treaty.— 
Rapid  settlement  of  the  Country  by  the  Whites. 

Extent  of  Louisiana.  The  treaty  by  which  France  sold 
to  the  United  States  a  district  of  country  under  the  name  of 
Louisiana,  contained  no  definite  boundaries.  The  mouth  of  the 
Mississippi  and  the  Island  of  Orleans,  were  first  discovered 
and  occupied  by  a  Frenchman  of  the  name  of  La  Salle ;  in 
consequence  of  which,  his  sovereign  Louis  XIV.  claimed  all 
the  country  northward  of  it  to  his  Canada  possessions,  west- 
ward to  the  Pacific  ocean,  and  eastward  indefinitely  until  it 
came  in  contact  with  countries  already  occupied  by  other 
European  powers,  and  gave  it  the  name  of  Louisiana.  This 
instrument,  the  United  States  claimed,  conveyed  to  them  a 
country  extending  eastward  of  the  Mississippi  to  the  Perdido 
river,  thirty  miles  easterly  of  Mobile  bay,  and  westerly  to  the 
Pacific  ocean,  comprehending  a  much  larger  portion  of 
country  than  the  original  United  States.  Spain,  from  whom 
this  territory  had  been  recendy  wrested  by  France  w^ithout 
an  equivalent,  contended  that  it  embraced  only  the  city  and 


194  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  ChAp.  10, 

island  of  Orleans,  and  a  limited  territory  on  the  west  bank 
of   the  river.     There  being   no  common  arbiter  to  decide 
this  question,  the   party  best  able  to  assert  its  pretensions 
must   prevail,  and  the  other  submit.     For  some  time  after 
the  ratification  of  the  Louisiana  treaty,  no  formal  possession 
of  the  contested  territory  was  taken  by  the  American  gov- 
ernment, and  the  national  authorities  seemed  to  oscillate  be- 
tween the  right  of  Spain  and  that  of  the  United  States.     Im- 
perious  circumstances,  however,  at  length   called  upon   the 
President  to  adopt  decisive  measures,  and  induced  him  to 
give  orders  to  the  governor  of  Louisiana  for  the  occupation 
€)l  the  contested  district ;  anxious  however,  to  avoid  any  col- 
lision with  foreign  powers,  he  restricted  him  to  such  parts  of 
ihe  territory  as  were  in  a  revolutionary  state,  and  directed 
him  not  to  molest  the  regular  Spanish  authorities.     Under 
these  orders,  Governor  Claiborne  excluded  the  town  Mobile 
afld  the  adjacent  country  from  the  American  jurisprudence, 
and  the  courts  and  revenue  office  of  the  United  States  were 
cstabhshed  at   Fort   Stoddard,   within    their  acknowledged 
jurisdiction.     On  the  eve  of  a  war  with  Great  Britain  it  be- 
came important  that  this  place  should  not  be  in  the  possession 
of  her  friend  and  ally,  as  by  means  of  its   waters  an  easy 
communication  was  opened  with  the  hostile  Indiana  of  the 
sbu^h-west.     - 

Otcitpaiion  of  Mobile,  With  these  views  a  law  was  passed 
in  May  1812,  annexing  the  country  west  of  the  Perdido,  and 
south  of  the  31st  degree  of  latitude,  including  the  district  of 
Mobile,  to  the  Mississippi  territory  ;  establishing  the  territorial 
laws,  and  granting  them  a  representation  in  the  provincial 
legislature.  The  Spanish  garrison  was  required  to  leave 
the  district.  After  a  long  course  of  negotiation  with  the 
governor  of  Pensacola,  he  refused  to  remove  the  garrison ; 
and  General  Wilkinson,  the  commanding  oiFicer  at  New-Or- 
leans, was  ordered  to  take  possession.  On  the  27ih  of 
J3areh,  he  ordered  Commodore  Shaw  to  send  a  detachment 
bf  gun-boats  to  take  ]'>ossession  of  the  bay  of  Mobile,  and 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  195 

cut  off  all  communication  with  Pensacola ;  and  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Boyer,  then  stationed  with  a  respectable  force  at 
Fort  Stoddard,  on  the  Mobile  river  forty-four  miles  above  its 
mouth,  to  be  in  readiness  to  march  down  on  Mobile  at  a  day's 
notice.  Having  made  these  previous  arrangements,  the 
General  left  New-Orleans  on  the  29th,  and  embarked  on 
board  the  schooner  Alligator.  The  troops  destined  for  the 
expedition  were  ordered  to  rendezvous  at  the  pass  Christian. 
On  the  30th,  the  weather  being  calm,  and  the  Alligator  una- 
ble to  proceed,  the  general  left  the  schooner,  and  took  a 
barge,  which  upset  in  the  lake  in  fifteen  feet  water,  and  the 
general  and  his  suit  lay  on  the  keel  for  some  time  without  any 
prospect  of  rehef ;  two  vessels  passed,  but  did  not  observe 
them  :  at  length  the  wreck  was  discovered  by  some  Spanish 
fishermen,  who  came  to  the  relief  of  the  half-drowned  and 
famished  party.  They  towed  them  on  shore,  righted  the 
boat,  and  the  general  again  embarked  with  his  boatmen,  and 
reached  Petit  Coquille  at  midnight.  The  next  day  an  ex- 
press was  sent  to  Colonel  Boyer  to  fall  down  the  river  and 
occupy  the  bank  opposite  the  town.  The  troops  embarked 
from  their  general  rendezvous  on  the  7th,  arrived  in  the 
bay  of  Mobile  on  the  12th  of  April,  and  landed  near  the 
fort  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  next  day.  The 
sound  of  their  bugles,  as  they  were  preparing  to  march  up  in 
front  of  the  fort,  was  the  first  notice  which  the  Spanish  com- 
mandant had  of  General  Wilkinson's  approach.  At  noon 
six  hundred  men  appeared  in  column  in  front  of  the  fort,  and 
demanded  its  surrender.  A  short  negotiation  between  the 
general  and  commandant  took  place,  which  ended  in  the 
evacuation  of  the  fort  on  the  15th,  and  the  removal  of  the 
Spanish  authorities  to  Pensacola. 

Southern  Indians.  The  southern  Indians,  immediately 
northward  of  this  district,  inhabit  the  Mississippi  territory, 
bounded  on  the  north  by  the  state  of  Tennessee,  ea.st  by 
Georgia,  south  by  the  Floridas,  and  west  by  the  Mississippi, 
being  about  three  hundred  miles  square.     The  soil  and  cli- 


196  BISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  10, 

mate  are  equal  to  any  in  the  United  States.  The  Indian  pop- 
ulation, comprehending  the  Creek,  Chickasaw,  Choctaw,  and 
Cherokee  nations,  is  estimated  at  60,000,  and  their  warriors 
at  about  6,000,  and  are  as  numerous  as  all  the  other  tribes  in 
the  United  States,  east  of  the  Mississippi.*  This  population 
is  in  a  semi-civilized  state,  approaching  much  nearer  in  their 
manners,  customs,  and  modes  of  living,  to  the  whites,  that  any 
other  Indian  nation.  The  American  government  early  turned 
their  attention  to  these  people,  and  established  an  agency 
among  them,  for  the  purpose  of  furnishing  them  with  the 
implements  of  husbandry,  domestic  manufacture,  and 
other  necessaries,  and  instructing  them  in  the  arts  of  civilized 
life.  Under  the  judicious  superintendence  of  Colonel  Haw- 
kins, they  had  long  been  kept  in  peace,  and  induced  to  turn 
their  attention  from  hunting,  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil. 
Many  of  them  were  regular  farmers,  and  possessed  stocks  of 
cattle,  horses,  and  swine.  Their  women  were  taught  to  spin 
and  weave;  intermarriages  with  the  whites  were  frequent, 
from  which  had  sprung  a  race  of  half-breeds,  which  had 
established  an  important  and  useful  chain  of  connexion 
between  the  white  and  red  inhabitants  of  the  territory.  The 
direct  communication  between  Louisiana,  and  the  Atlantic 
states  was  through  this  country,  and  the  mails  between  the 
city  of  Washington,  and  New-Orleans,  were  regularly  estab- 
lished on  this  route.  Surrounded  on  three  sides  by  the  white 
population  of  the  United  States,  and  numerous  white  settle- 
ments in  the  heart  of  their  country,  their  safety,  and  even 
existence,  depended  on  the  preservation  of  peace.  Sensible 
of  this,  they  were  ready,  when  any  of  their  people  had  com- 
mitted depredations  or  murders  on  the  border  inhabitants,  to 
give  them  up  to  be  punished ;  and  whenever  they  suffered 
by  trespasses  from  the  whites,  instead  of  revenging  themselves, 
they  presented  their  complaints  to  the  American  authorities, 
who  readily  listened  to,  and  redressed  their  injuries.     At  the 

■  ■  ■      ■'  ■  ■ " '  — — — — i^ ■  ■■ 

*  Dr.  Morse. 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  197 

trading-houses  established  at  various  posts  in  their  territory, 
under  the  direction  of  Colonel  Hawkins,  they  were  enabled 
to  exchange  at  a  fair  price,  their  peltry,  for  articles  suited  to 
their  wants.  From  this  peaceful  and  happy  state,  they  were 
most  unfortunately  seduced  to  take  a  part  in  the  war.  The 
British  authorities  early  perceived  that  a  war  with  the  south- 
ern Indians,  would  cause  a  powerful  diversion  of  the  forces 
destined  to  the  northern  frontier,  interrupt  the  chain  of  com- 
munication between  Louisiana  and  the  eastern  states,  and 
cause  such  a  desolation  on  the  southern  frontier,  as  in  their 
view,  would  greatly  promote  the  objects  of  the  war.  By 
means  of  runners,  a  constant  intercourse  was  kept  up  between 
the  Indians  of  the  south  and  the  north-west.  This  species  of 
intercourse  is  common  to  all  the  Indian  nations,  and  among 
many  of  them  is  as  regular  as  the  mails  of  the  United  States. 
The  runner  goes  with  incredible  swiftness,  carries,  and  deliv- 
ers his  messages  laconically  but  correcdy,  receives  the 
answers,  and  returns  with  the  same  speed.  They  are  every 
where  well  received  and  entertained ;  the  news  they  carry 
always  compensating  their  entertainers.  In  time  of  war,  tlie 
privileges  of  a  flag  are  considered  as  attached  to  the  runners. 
So  regular  and  uninterrupted  was  this  species  of  communica- 
tion, that  the  Indians  of  the  south  were  much  earlier,  and 
more  correctly  informed  of  the  events  of  the  campaign  of 
1812,  on  the  north-western  frontier,  than  their  neighbouring 
white  inhabitants. 

Indian  War  in  the  South.  Tecumseh,  the  celebrated 
Shawanee  chief,  and  British  ally,  appeared  among  the  In- 
dians  of  the  south,  attended  their  councils,  and  by  every  art  of 
persuasion  endeavoured  to  induce  them  to  join  in  a  league 
with  their  red  brethren  of  the  north,  and  with  the  aid  of  the 
British,  to  extirpate  the  whites.  With  peculiar  adroitness,  he 
availed  himself  of  the  assistance  of  their  prophets,  and  of  the 
prevalent  fanaticism,  to  induce  them  to  believe  that  the  Great 
Spirit  had  ordered  the  destruction  of  the  whites,  and  the  re- 
possession of  their  country  by  the  red  men.     The  capture  of 


198  mSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  Chap.  10. 

Detroit,  and  the  successes  of  the  British  and  Indians  in  the 
north-west,  in  the  year  1812,  gave  full  credit  to  such  repre- 
sentations. Thus  wrought  upon,  and  liberally  supplied  with 
the  implements  of  war  by  the  British,  through  the  channel  of 
the  Floridas,  a  large  majority  of  the  Creek  nation,  by  far  the 
most  numerous  of  the  southern  Indians,  and  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  other  tribes,  were  induced  to  commence  hostili- 
ties against  the  United  States.  Several  murders  and  rob- 
beries were  committed,  and  the  perpetrators  refused  to  be 
given  up;  evident  appearances  of  hostility  were  now  every 
where  visible.  Alarm  and  consternation  prevailed  among  the 
white  inhabitants;  those  of  the  Tensaw  district,  a  considera- 
ble settlement  on  the  Alabama,  fled  for  safety  to  fort  Mimms 
on  that  river,  sixteen  miles  above  fort  Stoddard.  The  place 
was  garrisoned  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  volunteers  of  the 
Mississippi  temtory,  under  Major  Beasly.  The  inhabitants 
collected  at  the  fort,  amounted  to  about  three  hundred. 

Massacre  at  Fort  Mimms.  At  eleven  o'clock  in  the  fore- 
noon of  the  30th  of  August,  a  body  of  Indians  to  the  amount  of 
six  or  seven  hundred  warriors,  issued  from  the  adjoining 
wood,  and  approached  the  fort ;  they  advanced  within  a  few 
rods  of  it  before  the  alarm  was  given.  As  the  centinel  cried 
out,  "Indians,"  they  immediately  gave  a  war-whoop,  and 
rushed  in  at  the  gate  before  the  garrison  had  time  to  shut  it. 
This  decided  their  fate.  Major  Beasly  was  mortally  wounded 
at  the  commencement  of  the  assault ;  he  ordered  his  men  to 
secure  the  ammunition,  and  retreat  into  the  house;  he  was 
himself  carried  into  the  kitchen,  and  afterwards  consumed  in 
the  flames.  The  fort  was  originally  square,  but  Major  Beasly 
had  enlarged  it  by  extending  the  lines  upon  two  sides  about 
fifty  feet,  and  putting  up  a  new  side,  into  which  the  gate  was 
removed;  the  old  line  of  pickets  were  standing,  and  the 
Indians  on  rushing  in  at  the  gate,  obtained  possession  of  the 
outer  part,  and  through  the  port  holes  of  the  old  line  of  pick* 
ets,  fired  on  the  people  who  held  the  interior.  On  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  fort  was  an  offset  or  bastion  made  round  the 


I«13.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  199 

back  gate,  which  being  open  on  the  outside,  was  occupied  by 
the  Indians,  who,  with  the  axes  that  lay  scattered  about,  cut 
down  the  gate.  The  people  in  the  fort  kept  possession  of 
the  port-holes  on  the  other  lines,  and  fired  on  the  Indians  who 
remained  on  the  outside.  Some  of  the  Indians  ascended  the 
block-house  at  one  of  the  corners,  and  fired  on  the  garrison 
below,  but  were  soon  dislodged ;  they  succeeded,  however, 
in  setting  fire  to  a  house  near  the  pickets,  which  communi- 
cated to  the  kitchen,  and  from  thence  to  the  main  dwelling- 
house.  When  the  people  in  the  fort  saw  the  Indians  in  full 
possession  of  the  outer  court,  the  gate  open,  the  men  fast 
falhng,  and  their  houses  on  flames,  they  gave  up  all  for  lost, 
and  a  scene  of  the  most  distressing  horror  ensued.  The 
women  and  children  sought  refuge  in  the  upper  story  of  the 
dwelling-house,  and  were  consumed  in  the  flames,  the  Indians 
dancing  and  yeUing  round  them  with  the  most  savage  delight. 
Those  who  were  without  the  buildings  were  murdered  and 
scalped  without  distinction  of  age  or  sex;  seventeen  only  esca- 
ped. The  battle  and  massacre  lasted  from  eleven  in  the  forenoon 
until  six  in  the  afternoon,  by  which  time  the  work  of  destruction 
was  fully  completed,  the  fort  and  buildings  entirely  demol- 
ished, and  upwards  of  four  hundred  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, massacred.* 

This  event  spread  consternation  and  dismay  through  all 
the  neighbouring  setdements  ;  the  inhabitants  fled  with  the 
utmost  precipitation,  without  taking  any  means  of  subsistance 
to  fort  Stoddard,  Mobile,  and  other  places,  where  they 
deemed  themselves  safe  from  the  fury  of  the  savages.  Their 
dwellings  and  property  were  left  a  prey  to  the  Indians,  who 
plundered  and  laid  waste  the  adjacent  country  to  a  great 
extent,  without  opposition. 

Exertions  of  the  States  of  Georgia  and  Tenjiessee.  These 
unexpected  and  calamitous  events  excited  the  most  lively 
sensations  in  the  neighbouring  states  of  Tennessee  and  Geor- 

*  Judg-e  Toulmin's  letter. 


200  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  4«^. 

gia,  and  led  to  prompt  and  spirited  exertions.  Eighteen 
hundred  volunteers  under  the  command  of  General  Floyd, 
were  immediately  organized,  equipped,  and  marched  into  the 
southern  section  of  the  Creek  nation  from  the  state  of  Georgia. 
The  legislature  of  Tennessee  were  in  session  when  the  news 
arrived.  They  immediately  passed  an  act  authorizing  the 
governor  to  raise  thirty-five  hundred  men,  for  the  purpose  of 
protecting  the  inhabitants  of  the  Mississippi  territory,  giving 
security,  to  their  own  borders,  and  repelling  the  incursions  of 
the  Indians.  Three  hundred  thousand  dollars  were  ordered 
to  be  raised,  and  appropriated  to  defray  the  expenses. 

The  Tennessee  forces  were  commanded  by  generals  Jack- 
son and  Cocke.  The  governors  of  the  two  states  immedi- 
ately communicated  their  proceedings  to  the  war  department. 
Their  measures  were  approved  by  the  executive,  and  the 
troops  placed  upon  the  United  States  establishment. 

Destruction  of  the  Tallushatches.  The  infatuated  Creeks 
were  now  doomed  to  atone  in  the  most  exemplary  manner 
for  the  massacre  at  fort  Mimms,  and  their  subsequent 
ravages.  The  first  object  to  which  the  troops  under  Gen- 
eral Jackson  were  directed,  was  their  encampments  at  the 
Tallushatches  towns,  on  the  Coosa  river,  a  northern  branch 
of  the  Alabama.  On  the  2d  of  November,  General  Coffee 
was  detached  with  a  part  of  his  brigade  of  cavalry,  and  a 
corps  of  mounted  riflemen,  amounting  to  nine  hundred,  against 
this  assemblage.  He  arrived  on  the  morning  of  the  third, 
and  encircled  the  encampment  with  his  cavalry;  when  he  had 
approached  within  half  a  mile,  the  Creeks  sounded  the  war- 
whoop,  and  prepared  for  action.  Captain  Hammond's  and 
Lieutenant  Patterson's  companies  advanced  within  the  circle 
and  gave  a  few  shots  for  the  purpose  of  drawing  out  the 
enemy.  The  Creeks  formed  and  made  a  violent  charge. 
Captain  Hammond,  according  to  his  orders,  gave  way,  and 
was  pursued  by  the  Indians,  until  they  met  the  right  column, 
which  gave  them  a  general  fire,  and  then  charged.  The 
Indians  immediately  retreated  within  and  behind  their  build- 


{813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  201 

ings,  and  fought  with  desperation;  but  their  destruction  was 
soon  accompHshed.  The  soldiers  rushed  up  to  the  doors  of 
their  houses,  broke  them  open,  and  in  a  few  minutes  killed 
the  last  warrior  of  them  :  not  one  escaped  to  carry  the  news. 
None  asked  for  quarters,  but  fought  as  long  as  they  could 
stand  or  sit,  and  met  death  in  various  shapes  without  a  groan. 
Two  hundred  warriors  were  killed,  eighty-four  women  and 
children  taken  prisoners  and  discharged ;  of  General  Coffee's 
troops  five  only  were  killed,  and  forty-one  wounded. 

General  Jackson  established  his  head-quarters  at  the  Ten 
Islands  on  the  Coosa,  and  fortified  his  position,  giving  it  the 
name  of  Camp  Strother.  On  the  evening  of  the  7th  of  No- 
vember, a  runner  arrived  from  the  friendly  Indians  at  the 
Tallageda  fort,  thirty  miles  below  on  the  same  river,  giving 
information  that  the  hostile  Creeks  had  encamped  in  great 
force  near  that  place,  and  were  preparing  to  destroy  it,  ear- 
nestly soliciting  immediate  assistance.  General  Jackson 
determined  on  commencing  his  march  the  same  night,  and 
despatched  a  runner  to  General  White,  informing  him  of  his 
movement,  and  urging  him  to  hasten  his  march  to  camp  Stro- 
ther, to  protect  it  in  his  advance.  He  had  previously  ordered 
General  White  to  form  a  junction  with  him  as  speedily  as 
possible,  and  received  his  assurances  that  he  would  be  with 
him  on  the  7th.  General  Jackson  imfnediately  commenced 
crossing  the  river  at  the  Ten  Islands,  leaving  his  baggage 
wagons  and  whatever  might  retard  his  progress  in  the  camp, 
and  halted  at  midnight  within  six  miles  of  the  Tallageda. 
Here  a  runner  arrived  with  a  note  from  General  White  in- 
forming him  that  he  had  altered  his  course,  and  was  on  his 
march  back  to  join  General  Cocke  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Chataga. 

Battle  of  Tallageda.  It  was  then  too  late  for  the  general  to 
change  his  plan  of  operations,  or  make  any  new  arrangements. 
Tic  renewed  his  march  at  three  o'clock,  and  at  sun-rise,  came 
within  half  a  mile  of  his  enemy,  whom  he  found  encamped  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  in  advance  of  the  fort.  He  immediately  form- 

26 


202  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  Chap,  10. 

^  ed  the  line  of  battle  •,  the  militia  on  the  left,  the  volunteers  on 
the  right,  and  the  cavalry  on  the  wings ;  and  advanced  in  a 
curve,  keeping  his  rear  connected  with  the  advance  of  the 
infantry  line,  so  as  to  enclose  the  enemy  in  a  circle.  The 
advance  guard  met  the  attack  of  the  Indians  with  intrepidity, 
and  having  poured  upon  them  four  or  five  rounds,  fell  back 
to  the  main  body.  The  enemy  pursued,  and  were  met  by 
the  front  line.  This  line  was  broken,  and  several  companies 
of  militia  retreated.  At  this  moment  a  corps  of  cavalry  un- 
der Lieutenant  Colonel  Dyer,  which  was  kept  as  a  reserve, 
were  ordered  to  dismount  and  fill  the  vacancy.  The  order 
was  promptly  executed,  the  militia  soon  rallied,  and  returned 
to  the  charge.  The  fire  now  became  general  along  the  first 
line  and  the  contiguous  wings*  The  Indians  fled,  and  were 
met  and  pursued  in  every  direction.  The  right  wing  followed 
them  with  a  destructive  fire  to  the  mountains,  three  miles  dis- 
tant. Two  hundred  and  ninety  of  their  warriors  were  found 
dead,  and  a  large  number  killed  in  the  pursuit,  who  were 
not  found.  General  Jackson  lost  fifteen  men  killed,  and 
eighteen  wounded.  In  consequence  of  the  failure  of  General 
White  to  proceed  to  camp  Strother,  General  Jackson  was 
obliged  to  give  up  further  pursuit,  and  immediately  return  to 
his  camp  to  protect  his  sick,  wounded,  and  baggage. 

The  Tennessee  militia  and  volunteers  called  into  service 
at  the  commencement  of  the  Creek  war,  consisted  of  two 
divisions,  one  of  West  Tennessee,  commanded  by  General 
Jackson,  and  the  other  of  East  Tennessee,  commanded  by 
Major  General  Cocke.  Major  General  Thomas  Pinckney, 
of  the  United  States  army,  was  commander  in  chief  of  the 
military  district  within  which  these  troops  were  raised  and 
employed,  and  in  that  capacity,  had  the  general  direction  of 
their  operations,  after  they  were  taken  into  the  United  States 
service.  General  Jackson,  as  senior  major  general  of  the 
Tennessee  forces,  claimed  the  right  of  commanding  the  whole 
that  were  in  service.  General  Cocke,  of  the  East  Tennessee 
division,  considered  himself  as  possessing  a  command  inde- 


1813.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  203 

pendent  of  General  Jackson.  This  circumstance  produced 
a  collision  in  the  orders,  and  the  embarrassment  to  which 
General  White,  who  commanded  a  brigade  in  General  Cocke's 
division,  was  subject ;  while  General  Jackson  ordered  him 
to  march  to  camp  Strother,  to  protect  it  in  his  absence.  Gen- 
eral Cocke  ordered  him  to  march  in  a  contrary  direction  and 
attack  the  Hillabee  towns,  distant  from  fort  Armstrong  one 
hundred  miles. 

Destruction  of  the  Hillabee  Towns.  General  White  con- 
sidered himself  bound  to  obey  the  latter  order,  and  the  11th 
of  November  marched  with  the  mounted  infantry,  cavalry, 
and  a  corps  of  friendly  Cherokee  Indians,  to  Oakfusky, 
where  he  took  five  hostile  Creeks  who  had  been  sent  out  as 
spies,  and  burned  a  small  village.  On  the  17th,  he  arrived 
within  six  miles  of  the  Hillabees,  the  object  of  his  expedi- 
tion;  and  early  in  the  morning  of  the  18th,  surrounded  and 
completely  surprised  the  town,  killed  sixty  warriors,  took 
two  hundred  and  fifty-six  prisoners,  and  returned  to  fort  Arm- 
strong,  without  the  loss  of  a  man,  either  killed  or  wounded. 

General  FloycVs  Operations,  While  the  Tennessee  forces 
were  performing  these  operations  in  the  northern  sections  of 
the  Creek  country,  the  Georgia  troops  under  General  Floyd 
entered  their  territory  from  the  east.  The  general,  having 
received  information  that  a  number  of  hostile  Indians  had 
assembled  at  the  Autosee  towns,  on  the  southern  bank  of  the 
Talapoosa,  eighteen  miles  from  the  Hickory  ground,  and 
twenty  above  the  junction  of  that  river  with  the  Coosa,  pro- 
ceeded to  that  place  with  a  corps  of  nine  hundred  and  fifty 
militia,  and  four  hundred  friendly  Indians;  and  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  29th  of  November,  at  half  past  six,  appeared  in 
line  of  battle,  in  front  of  the  principal  town.  The  Indians 
presented  themselves  at  every  point,  and  fought  with  despe- 
rate fury.  The  well  directed  fire  of  the  artillery,  and  the 
charge  of  the  bayonet,  soon  drove  them  from  the  ground,  and 
obliged  them  to  take  shelter  in  the  copses,  thickets,  and  out- 
houses in  rear  of  the  town.     Many  concealed  themselve*S  in 


204  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  10. 

raves  previously  provided  as  places  of   retreat,  along  the 
high  bluffs  on  the  river,  which  were  thickly  covered  with 
reeds  and  brush-wood.     The  friendly  Indians  were  divided 
into  four  companies,  under  leaders  of  their  own  choice,  and 
directed  to  cross  Canhabee  creek,  and  occupy  that  flank  to 
prevent  escapes  from  the  Tallisee  town,  situated  about  one 
hundred  rods  below  the  Autosee.     Instead  of  obeying  this 
order,  soon  after  the  action  commenced,  most  of  them  throng- 
ed in  disorder  into  the  rear  of  the  lines ;  but  the  Covetans 
under  M'Intosh,  and  the  Tookabotchians,  under  Mad  Dog's 
Son,  joined  the  flanks  of  the  militia,  and  fought  with  a  bravery 
equal  to  disciplined  troops.     At  nine  o'clock  the  Indians  w^ere 
completely  driven  from  the  plain,  and  the  houses  of  both 
towns   were   in   flames.      Warriors   from   eight   towns    had 
assembled  at  Autosee,  which  their  prophets  had  taught  them 
to  believe  was  holy  ground,   on  which  no  white  man  could 
tread  without  inevitable  destruction.     Four  hundred  build- 
ings were  burned,  some  of  which  were  of  a  superior  cast  for 
the  dwellings  of  savages.     The  loss  of  the  Indians  was  esti- 
mated at  two  hundred  killed ;  among  whom  were  the  Autosee 
and  Talhsee  kings.     The  number  of  wounded  could  not  be 
ascertained,  as  they  were  taken  ofl*by  their  friends,  but  must 
have  been  very  considerable.     General  Floyd  was  severely 
wounded,  and   Adjutant  General   Newman   slightly.      The 
whole  loss  of  the  Georgians  was  eleven  killed,  and  fifty-four 
wounded.     The   friendly    Indians    lost    several    killed  and 
wounded,  but  their  loss  was  not  great,  as  most  of  them  sought 
places  of  safety  at  the  commencement  of  the  action.     From 
the  Autosee  towns.  General  Floyd,  after  resting  several  days, 
proceeded  to  camp  Defiance,  fifty  miles  further  to  the  west, 
into  the  enemy's  country.     At  this  place,  at  5  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  2d  of  January,  his  camp  was  assailed  by  a 
desperate  band  of  hostile  Indians,  who  stole  unobserved  upon 
the  centinels,  fired  on  them,  and  immediately  rushed  on  the 
lines.     In  twenty  minutes  the  troops  were  formed  in  order  of 
battle,  and  the  action  became  general.     The  front  and  both 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  205 

Jlanks  were  closely  pressed  at  once ;  but  the  skilful  conduct 
of  the  officers,  and  firmness  of  the  men,  repulsed  the  enemy 
at  every  point  The  incessant  fire  of  Captain  Thomas's 
artillery,  and  Adams's  riflemen,  preserved  the  front  line.  Both 
these  companies  suffered  greatly.  Captain  Broadnax,  who 
commanded  one  of  the  piquet-guards,  maintained  his  post  with 
great  bravery  until  the  enemy  gained  his  rear,  and  then  cut 
his  way  through  them  to  the  lines.  Timpochee  Barnard,  a 
half-breed,  at  the  head  of  the  Uchies,  distinguished  himself, 
and  contributed  to  the  relief  of  the  piquet-guard.  Most  of 
the  other  friendly  Indians  took  refuge  within  the  fines,  and 
remained  inactive  spectators  of  the  contest.  As  soon  as  it 
had  become  light  enough  to  distinguish  objects.  Majors  Wat- 
son's and  Freeman's  battalions  wheeled  up  at  right  angles 
with  Majors  Booth's  and  Cleaveland's,  and  made  a  vigorous 
charge.  The  enemy  fled  in  every  direction  before  the  bayo- 
net. The  signal  was  then  given  for  the  cavalry  to  charge, 
which  w^as  executed  with  great  effect.  The  Indians  left 
thirty-seven  dead  on  the  field,  and  from  the  war-clubs,  head- 
dresses, and  trails  of  blood  found  in  various  directions,  their 
whole  loss  must  have  been  much  greater.  The  friendly 
Indians,  with  Merriwether's  and  Ford's  rifle  companies,  and 
Hamilton's  cavalry,  pursued  them  through  Caulabee  swamp, 
where  they  were  trailed  by  their  blood.  In  the  first  onset 
Adjutant  General  Newman  received  three  balls,  which  pre- 
vented his  further  service  in  the  action.  General  Floyd's 
loss  was  seventeen  killed,  and  one  hundred  and  thirty 
w^ounded ;  of  the  friendly  Indians  five  were  killed,  and  fifteen 
wounded.* 

General  Claiborne'^ s  Operations,  On  the  13th  of  Decem- 
ber, General  Claiborne  marched  a  detachment  of  volunteers, 
from  fort  Claiborne,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Alabama,  eighty- 
five  miles  above  fort  Stoddard,  with  a  view  of  destroying  some 
tow^ns  of  the  Creeks  above  the  mouth  of  the  Cahawba.     He 


*  General  Floyd's  letter. 


206  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  10. 

proceeded  up  the  river  one  hundred  and  ten  miles,  when  he 
arrived  at  a  newly-erected  town,  called  Eccanachaca,  or 
holy  ground,  occupied  by  a  large  body  of  Indians  under  the 
command  of  the  noted  chief  Witherford,  Avho  commanded  at 
the  massacre  at  fort  Mimms.  On  the  23d,  at  noon,  the  right 
wing,  commanded  by  Colonel  Carson,  commenced  the  attack 
on  the  enemy,  who  had  been  apprised  of  General  Claiborne's 
approach,  and  judiciously  chosen  his  ground.  Before  the 
centre  arrived  so  as  to  join  in  the  action,  the  Indians  fled  in 
all  directions,  leaving  thirty  dead  in  the  field.  A  pursuit  was 
immediately  ordered,  but  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  country, 
nothing  was  effected.  The  town  was  nearly  surrounded  by 
swamps  and  deep  ravines,  which  rendered  the  approach  diffi- 
cult, and  facilitated  the  escape  of  the  enemy.  A  large  quan- 
tity of  provisions,  and  property  of  various  kinds  was  found, 
which,  together  with  the  town,  consisting  of  two  hundred 
houses,  was  destroyed.  The  next  day  was  employed  in 
destroying  another  town,  eight  miles  further  up  the  river,  and 
in  taking  and  destroying  the  enemy's  boats.  Eccanachaca 
was  built  after  the  commencement  of  hostilities,  as  a  place  of 
safety  for  the  inhabitants  of  several  villages ;  and  was  the 
residence  of  their  principal  prophets,  Witherford,  Francis, 
and  Singuister.  Three  of  the  Shawanee,  or  Tecumseh's  tribe, 
from  the  north,  were  found  among  the  slain.  General  Clai- 
borne had  one  killed,  and  six  wounded.  At  this  town  was 
found  a  letter  from  the  governor  of  Pensacola,  directed  to 
Witherford,  and  the  other  chiefs,  congratulating  them  on  their 
success  at  fort  Mimms,  encouraging  them  to  continue  the 
war,  and  promising  them  presents,  arms,  and  munitions 
from  Havana. 

Tennessee  Volunteers,  The  Tennessee  volunteers,  under 
General  Jackson,  had  been  raised,  equipped,  and  received 
into  service  by  virtue  of  an  act  of  Congress  of  the  Gth  of 
February,  1812,  which  provides,  "That  the  President  may 
accept  the  services  of  such  volunteers,  as  offering  themselves 
to  an  amount  not  exaeedins:  fifty  thousand,  who  shall  be 


iei3.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  -207 

liable  to  be  called  upon  to  do  military  duty  at  any  time 
within  two  years  from  the  time  their  services  are  accepted, 
and  shall  be  bound  to  contmue  in  service  for  the  term  of 
twelve  months  after  they  shall  have  arrived  at  the  place  of 
rendezvous,  unless  sooner  discharged."  These  volunteers 
were  first  ordered  to  rendezvous  at  Nashville,  in  the  state  of 
Tennessee,  on  the  10th  of  December,  1812.  From  thence 
they  were  ordered  down  the  Mississippi,  and  to  encamp  at 
the  Natchez,  and  wait  the  further  order  of  Government.  On 
the  5th  of  January  following,  two  days  before  the  departure 
of  the  troops  from  Nashville,  an  order  issued  from  the  war 
department,  directing  their  immediate  discharge,  and  all  the 
public  property  in  the  pe:>sses9ion  of  General  Jackson  to  be 
delivered  to  General  Wilkinson.  This  order  was  not  com- 
municated to  General  Jackson  until  some  time  after  his  arri- 
val at  the  Natchez.  The  troops  under  his  command  had  just 
accomplished  a  tedious  winter  voyage  down  the  Mississippi, 
of  five  hundred  miles,  and  were  settling  themselves  in  winter- 
quarters,  when  the  orders  were  received  by  which  they  were 
to  be  there  disbanded,  and  left  to  make  their  way  home 
through  a  wilderness  of  five  hundred  miles,  without  pay,  or 
the  means  of  subsistence.  General  Jackson  refused  a  com- 
pliance with  this  order,  and  retained  the  troops  in  service 
until  they  could  be  marched  back  to  Nashville,  with  suffi- 
cient provisions,  and  means  for  that  purpose.  The  troops 
arrived  at  Nashville  on  the  1st  of  May  following,  and  were 
there  discharged;  having  performed  a  tedious  winter  voyage 
of  five  hundred  miles,  and  a  still  more  tedious  countermarch 
of  the  same  length  for  no  possible  beneficial  purpose.  The 
object  of  this  expedition,  and  the  reasons  why  the  orders  for 
discharging  the  troops  were  not  sooner  communicated  to  Gen- 
eral Jackson,  and  what  provision  was  to  be  made  for  their 
return  from  the  Natchez,  if  the  order  had  been  complied  with, 
have  never  been  explained  by  the  secretary  of  war.  Gen- 
eral Jackson's  conduct  was  approved,  and  the  pay  and  sub- 
sistence of  the  troops  continued  until  their  discharge  at  Nash- 


208  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  ChAp.  10. 

ville.  The  same  troops  were  again  called  into  service  early 
in  Octobei  1813,  under  General  Jackson,  to  oppose  the 
Creeks.  After  their  return  from  the  battle  of  Tallageda,  they 
claimed  that  their  term  of  service  would  expire  on  the  10th 
of  December,  1813,  being  twelve  months  from  the  time  of 
their  first  rendezvous  at  Nsshville.  General  Jackson  ex- 
hausted all  the  arts  of  persuasion  to  induce  them  to  continue 
in  service  a  longer  period;  he  by  no  means  admitted  their 
claim  to  be  discharged,  contending  that  they  were  bound  to 
continue  in  actual  service  one  year  out  of  the  two,  if  re- 
quired ;  but  waiving  that  question,  the  disbanding  the  troops 
at  this  period  would  expose  the  Mississippi  territory,  and 
the  frontier  inhabitants  of  Tennessee  and  Georgia  to  certain 
destruction.  The  Creeks,  though  severely  chastised,  were 
by  no  means  subdued.  They  were  then  collecting  in  large 
numbers,  at  various  points  in  the  territory,  and  when  they 
found  this  army  disbanded,  would  renew  their  ravages  with 
increased  fury.  These  considerations  had  but  little  effect; 
most  of  his  army  left  him  on  or  soon  after  the  10th  of  Decem- 
ber, their  places  however  were  partially  supplied  by  newly 
raised  volunteers. 

On  the  17th  of  January,  1814,  General  Jackson  finding 
himself  in  a  situation  to  commence  further  offensive  opera- 
tions, marched  from  his  encampment  at  fort  Strother  with 
nine  hundred  volunteers,  who  were  soon  afterwards  joined  by 
three  hundred  friendly  Indians,  against  an  assemblage  of 
Creeks  at  the  Great  Bend  of  the  Tallapoosa.  On  the  even- 
ing of  the  21st,  he  fell  upon  a  large  trail,  which  indicated 
the  neighbourhood  of  a  strong  force.  At  eleven  o'clock  at 
night,  his  spies  came  in  and  informed  him  that  there  was  a 
large  encampment  of  Indians  at  about  three  miles  distance,  who 
from  their  war-whoops  and  dances  appeared  to  be  apprised 
of  his  approach,  and  would  either  commence  a  night  attack 
upon  him,  or  make  their  escape.  Having  received  this  in- 
telligence, General  Jackson  put  himself  in  readiness  to  meet 
an  attack,  or  pursue  them  as  soon  as  daylight  appeared. 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  009 

Battle  at  the  Tallapoosa,  At  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  a 
vigorous  attack  was  made  upon  his  left  flank,  which  sus- 
tained it  with  bravery  ;  the  action  continued  to  rage  at  that 
point,  and  on  the  left  of  the  rear,  for  half  an  hour.  As  soon 
as  it  became  light  enough  to  pursue,  the  left  wing  was  rein- 
forced by  Captain  Ferril's  company  of  infantry,  and  led  on 
to  the  charge  by  General  Coffee.  The  enemy  were  com- 
pletely routed  at  every  point;  and  the  friendly  Indians  joined 
in  the  pursuit,  they  were  chased  about  two  miles  with  great 
slaughter.  The  chase  being  over.  General  Coffee  was  de- 
tached to  burn  their  encampment,  but  finding  it  fortified,  he 
returned  to  the  main  body  for  artillery.  Half  an  hour  after 
his  return,  a  large  force  appeared  and  commenced  an  attack 
upon  the  right  flank.  General  C®ffee  was  permitted,  at  his 
own  request,  to  take  two  hundred  men  and  turn  the  enemy's 
left,  but  by  some  mistake  only  fifty-four  followed  him  ;  with 
these  he  commenced  an  attack  on  their  left ;  two  hundred  of  the 
friendly  Indians  were  ordered  to  fall  upon  the  enemy's  right, 
and  co-operate  with  the  general.  The  Creeks  intended  this 
attack  upon  Jackson's  right  as  a  feint,  und  expecting  to  find 
his  left  weakened,  directed  their  main  force  against  that 
quarter ;  but  General  Jackson,  perceiving  the  object  of  the 
enemy,  had  directed  that  flank  to  remain  firm  in  its  position, 
and  at  the  first  moment  of  attack  they  were  supported  by  the 
reserve  under  Captain  Ferril.  The  whole  line  met  the  ap- 
proach of  the  enemy  with  vigour,  and  after  a  few  fires,  made 
a  bold  and  decisive  charge.  The  Creeks  fled  with  precipi- 
tation, and  were  pursued  a  considerable  distance  with  a  de- 
structive fire.  In  the  meantime  General  Coffee  was  contend- 
ing on  the  right  with  a  superior  force ;  the  friendly  Indians 
who  had  been  ordered  to  his  support,  seeing  the  enemy 
routed  on  the  left,  quit  their  post  and  joined  in  the  chase. 
That  being  over,  Jim  Fife,  with  the  friendly  Indians,  was 
again  ordered  to  support  General  Coffee ;  as  soon  as  he 
reached  him,  they  made  a  decisive  charge,  routed  the  enemy, 
and  pursued  him  three  miles.  Forty-five  of  the  enemy's  slain, 

•27 


210  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  10 

were  found.  General  Coffee  was  wounded  in  the  body,  and 
his  aid  Colonel  Donaldson,  and  three  others  slain.  The  next 
day  General  Jackson  commenced  his  return  march  to  fort 
Strother.  His  men  and  horses  were  exhausted,  and  he  was 
not  furnished  with  either  provisions  or  forage  for  a  longer 
stay.  The  enemy,  supposing  they  had  defeated  the  general, 
hung  on  his  rear;  and  in  the  morning  of  the  24lh,  as  he  was 
on  the  point  of  crossing  Enotachopeo  creek,  the  front  guard 
having  crossed  with  part  of  the  flank  columns  and  the  wound- 
ed, and  the  artillery  just  entering  the  water,  an  attack  com- 
menced on  the  rear.  The  main  part  of  the  rear  guard  precipi- 
tately gave  way,  leaving  only  twenty-five  men  under  Colonel 
Carrol,  who  maintained  their  ground  as  long  as  possible. 
There  then  remained  on  the  left  of  the  creek  to  meet  the 
enemy,  the  remnant  of  the  rear  guard,  the  artillery  company, 
and  Captain  Russell's  company  of  spies.  Lieutenant  Arm- 
strong, of  the  artillery,  immediately  ordered  them  to  form  and 
advance  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  while  he  and  a  few  of  his  men 
dragged  up  a  six  pounder,  amid  a  most  galling  fire  from  more 
than  ten  times  their  numbers.  Arrived  at  the  top  they  form- 
ed, and  poured  in  upon  their  assailants  a  fire  of  grape^  and 
at  length  made  a  charge  and  repelled  them.  Lieutenant 
Armstrong,  Captains  Hamilton,  Bradford,  and  M'Govock,  fell 
in  this  rencontre.  By  this  time  a  considerable  number  had 
re-crossed  the  creek  and  joined  the  chase  ;  Captain  Gordon 
of  the  spies,  rushed  from  the  front  and  partially  succeeded  in 
turning  the  enemy's  left  flank.  The  Creeks  now  fled  in  the 
greatest  consternation,  throwing  off  their  packs,  and  every 
thing  that  retarded  their  flight,  and  were  pursued  for  more 
than  two  miles.  Twenty-six  of  their  warriors  were  left  dead 
on  the  field.  GencralJackson's  loss,  in  the  several  engage- 
men  is  of  the  22d  and  24th,  was  twenty-four  killed,  and  seven- 
ty wounded.  Judge  Cocke,  one  of  General  Jackson's 
volunteers,  entered  the  service  at  the  age  of  sixty-five,  was 
foremost  in  this  engagement,  continued  the  pursuit  with 
youthful  ardour,  and  saved  the  life  of  one  of  his  fellow-sol- 


1013.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  211 

diers  by  slaying  his  antagonist.  In  all  the  rencontres,  one 
hundred  and  eighty-nine  of  the  Creek  warriors  were  found 
slain.  A  very  seasonable  diversion  had  been  made  in  favour 
of  the  operations  of  General  Floyd  on  the  eastern  boundary 
of  the  enemy.  After  the  battle  of  the  24th,  General  Jackson 
was  enabled  to  return  to  fort  Strother  without  further  moles- 
tation. 

The  Creeks  encouraged  by  what  they  considered  a  victory 
over  General  Jackson's  forces  in  the  batdes  of  the  22d  and 
24th  of  January,  continued  to  concentrate  their  forces,  and 
fortify  themselves  at  the  Great  Bend  of  the  Tallapoosa. 
This  river  forms  the  north-eastern  branch  of  the  Alabama. 
Several  miles  above  its  junction  with  the  Coosa,  is  a  curve  in 
the  river  in  the  form  of  a  horse-shoe,  called  by  the  whites 
the  Great  Bend,  and  by  the  Indians  Emucsau.  The  penin- 
sula formed  by  the  bend,  contains  about  one  hundred  acres, 
and  the  isthmus  leading  to  it,  is  about  forty  rods  across  ;  at  the 
bottom  of  the  peninsula  is  the  village  of  Tohopisca,  con- 
taining about  two  hundred  houses.  On  this  peninsula,  the 
Indians  from  the  adjoining  districts  had  concentrated  their 
forces,  to  the  amount  of  one  thousand  warriors,  with  ample 
stores  of  provisions  and  ammunition,  and  had  fortified  them- 
selves with  great  skill;  having  thrown  up  a  breastwork,  con- 
sisting of  eight  tier  of  logs,  with  double  port-holes  across  the 
isthmus,  so  that  an  assailing  enemy  might  be  opposed  by  a 
double  and  cross  fire  by  the  garrison,  who  could  lie  in  perfect 
safety  behind  their  works. 

Battle  at  the.  Great  Bend,  On  the  16th  of  March,  General 
Jackson,  having  received  considerable  reinforcements  of  vol- 
unteers from  Tennessee,  and  friendly  Indians,  left  fort  Stro- 
ther with  his  whole  disposable  force,  amounting  to  about 
three  thousand  of  every  description,  on  an  expedition  against 
this  assemblage  of  Indians.  He  proceeded  down  the  Coosa 
sixty  miles  to  the  mouth  of  Cedar  creek,  where  he  established 
a  post  called  fort  Williams,  and  proceeded  on  the  24th  across 
the  ridge  of  land  dividing  the  waters  of  the  Coosa  from  the 


21^  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  10. 

Tallapoosa;  and  arrived  at  the  Great  bend  on  the  morning 
of  the  27th,  having  the  three  preceding  days  opened  a  pas- 
sage through  the  wilderness  of  fifty-two  miles.  On  the  26th 
he  passed  the  battle-ground  of  the  22d  of  January,  and  left 
it  three  miles  in  his  rear.  General  Coffee  was  detached  with 
seven  hundred  cavalry,  and  mounted  gunmen,  and  six  hun- 
dred friendly  Indians,  to  cross  the  river  below  the  bend, 
secure  the  opposite  banks,  and  prevent  escape.  Having 
crossed  at  the  Little  Island  ford,  three  miles  below  the  bend, 
his  Indians  were  ordered  silently  to  approach  and  line  the 
bank  of  the  river;  while  the  mounted  men  occupied  the 
adjoining  heights,  to  guard  against  reinforcements,  which 
might  be  expected  from  the  Oakfusky  towns,  eight  miles 
below.  Lieutenant  Bean  at  the  same  time  was  ordered  to 
occupy  Litde  Island,  at  the  fording-place,  to  secure  any  that 
might  attempt  to  escape  in  that  direction.  In  the  mean  time, 
General  Jackson,  with  the  artillery  and  infantry,  moved  on  in 
slow  and  regular  order  to  the  isthmus,  and  planted  his  guns 
on  an  eminence  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  in  front  of  the 
breastwork.  On  perceiving  that  General  Coffee  had  com- 
pleted his  arrangements  below,  he  opened  a  fire  upon  the 
fortification,  but  found  he  could  make  no  other  impression 
with  his  artillery  than  boring  shot-holes  through  the  logs. 
General  Coffee's  Indians  on  the  bank,  hearing  the  roaring 
of  the  cannon  in  front,  and  observing  considerable  confusion 
on  the  peninsula,  supposing  the  battle  to  be  nearly  won, 
crossed  over  and  set  fire  to  the  village,  and  attacked  the 
Creeks  in  the  rear.  At  this  moment  General  Jackson  ordered 
an  assault  upon  the  works  in  front.  The  regular  troops,  led 
by  Colonel  Williams,  accompanied  by  a  part  of  the  militia  of 
General  Dougherty's  brigade,  led  on  by  Colonel  Russell,  pre- 
sently got  possession  of  a  part  of  the  works  amid  a  tremen- 
dous fire  from  behind  them.  The  advance  guard  was  led  by 
Colonel  Sisler,  and  the  left  extremity  of  the  line  by  Captain 
Gordon  of  the  spies,  and  Captain  M'Marry  of  General  John- 
;?on's  brigade  of  West  Tennessee  militia.     The  batde  for  a 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  213 

short  time  was  obstinate,  and  fought  musket  to  musket  through 
the  port-holes ;  when  the  assailants  succeeded  in  getting  pos- 
session of  the  opposite  side  of  the  works,  and  the  contest 
ended.  The  Creeks  were  entirely  routed,  and  the  whole 
margin  of  the  river  strewed  with  the  slain.  The  troops  under 
General  Jackson,  and  General  Coffee's  Indians,  who  had 
crossed  over  into  the  peninsula,  continued  the  work  of  de- 
struction as  long  as  there  was  a  Creek  to  be  found.  General 
Coifee,  on  seeing  his  Indians  crossing  over,  had  ordered  their 
places  to  be  supplied  on  the  bank  by  his  riflemen ;  and  every 
Indian  that  attempted  to  escape  by  swimming  the  river,  or 
crossing  the  Little  Island  below,  was  met  and  slain  by  Gen- 
eral Coffee's  troops.  The  battle,  as  long  as  any  appearance 
of  resistance  remained,  lasted  five  hours ;  the  slaughter  con- 
tinued until  dark,  and  was  renewed  the  next  morning,  when 
sixteen  more  of  the  unfortunate  savages  were  hunted  out  of 
their  hiding-places  and  slain.  Five  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
warriors  were  found  dead  on  the  peninsula ;  among  whom  was 
their  famous  prophet  Manahell,  and  two  others,  the  principal 
instigators  of  the  war;  two  hundred  and  fifty  more  were  esti- 
mated to  have  been  killed  in  crossing  the  river,  and  at  other 
places,  which  were  not  found.  General  Jackson's  loss  was 
twenty-six  white  men,  and  twenty-three  Indians,  killed; 
and  one  hundred  and  seven  white  men,  and  forty-seven 
Indians,  wounded. 

Submission  of  the  Creeks.  This  decisive  victory  put  an  end 
to  the  Creek  war.  In  the  short  period  of  five  months  from 
the  first  of  November  to  the  first  of  April,  two  thousand  of 
their  warriors,  among  whom  were  their  principal  prophets 
and  kings,  had  been  slain,  most  of  their  towns  and  villages 
burned,  and  the  strong  places  in  their  territory  occupied  by 
the  United  States  troops.  After  this  battle,  the  miserable 
remnant  of  the  hostile  tribes  submitted.  Witherford,  the 
principal  surviving  chief  and  prophet,  who  led  the  Indians  at 
fort  Mimms,  accompanied  his  surrender  with  this  address  to 
General  Jackson. 


214  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  W. 

"  I  fought  at  fort  Mimms — I  fought  the  Georgia  army — I 
did  you  all  the  injury  I  could. — Had  I  been  supported  as  I 
was  promised,  I  would  have  done  you  more.  But  my  war- 
riors are  all  killed.  I  can  fight  no  longer.  I  look  back  with 
sorrow  that  I  have  brought  destruction  upon  my  nation.  I 
am  now  in  your  power.  Do  with  me  as  you  please.  I  am  a 
soldier." 

A  war  with  savages  is  necessarily  attended  with  many 
circumstances  distressing  to  the  feelings  of  humanity.  The 
Indian,  having  no  means  of  supporting  or  confining  his  pris- 
oner, knows  no  other  mode  of  ridding  himself  of  the  burden, 
but  by  plunging  the  tomahawk  into  his  head ;  and  the  Ameri- 
cans can  no  otherwise  effectually  prevent  the  savages  from 
repeating  their  massacres,  than  by  laying  waste  their  villages, 
destroying  their  provisions,  and  compelling  the  surviving 
warriors  to  flee  with  their  women  and  children  into  the  wilder- 
ness beyond  the  reach  of  the  whites. 

The  brilliant  success  with  which  this  war  was  conducted 
and  terminated,  cast  a  mande  over  its  tragic  scenes.  The 
slaughter  of  unresisting  warriors,  and  the  burning  of  defence- 
less villages,  marked  much  of  its  progress.  To  the  enemy 
indeed  no  apology  is  necessary  ;  the  massacre  at  fort  Mimms, 
and  the  subsequent  ravages  of  the  surrounding  country,  would 
justify  a  war  of  extermination;  and  the  unhappy  victims  can 
alone  condemn  the  British  and  Spanish  authorities  by  whose 
intrigues  they  were  induced  to  engage  in  this  fatal  contest. 
The  plea  of  necessity  goes  far  towards  justifying  the  mode 
in  which  this  war  was  conducted  in  the  view  of  all.  The 
savage  warrior,  who  is  suffered  to  escape,  hves  only  to  renew 
his  ravages.  The  bold  and  decisive  measures  of  General 
Jackson,  in  the  conduct  of  this  war,  have  probably  prevented 
its  ever  being  renewed  by  the  same  tribes,  and  struck  a  gen- 
eral dread  among  the  surrounding  nations.  Though  these 
considerations  may  justify  the  general  mode  in  which  the  war 
was  conducted,  yet  it  is  impossible  to  find  a  sufficient  apology 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  115 

for  hunting  out  and  butchering  sixteen  warriorii,  on  the  day 
after  the  last  battle. 

Soon  after  this  victory,  the  Georgia  forces,  under  General 
Floyd,  formed  a  junction  with  those  of  Tennessee,  and  on 
the  20th  of  April,  General  Pinckney  arrived  at  Fort  Jack- 
son, where  the  Tallapoosa  and  Coosa  rivers  uniting,  form 
the  Alabama,  and  assumed  the  command  of  all  the  forces  in 
the  Mississippi  territory.  New  detachments  of  mihtia  were 
ordered  in  to  garrison  the  fortresses  established  in  the  Creek 
nation,  and  General  Jackson  and  the  Tennessee  volunteers 
returned  to  Fayetteville  and  were  discharged. 

General  Jackson  and  Colonel  Hawkins  were  soon  after- 
wards appointed  commissioners  to  settle  a  peace  with  the 
Creeks  ;  and  on  the  10th  of  August  concluded  a  treaty,  dic- 
tated altogether  by  the  United  States  commissioners.  The 
Creeks  yielded  up  a  valuable  portion  of  their  territory  to 
defray  the  expenses  of  the  war ;  they  conceded  the  privileges 
of  opening  roads  through  their  country,  and  navigating  their 
rivers,  and  stipulated  to  hold  no  further  intercourse  with  the 
British  or  Spanish  posts,  and  to  deliver  up  all  the  property  or 
persons  of  the  whites,  or  friendly  Indians  in  their  possession. 
On  the  part  of  the  United  States,  the  companies  agreed  to 
guarantee  their  remaining  territory,  to  restore  all  their  pris- 
oners, and  in  consideration  of  their  destitute  situation,  to  fur- 
nish them  gratuitously  with  the  necessaries  of  Ufe  until  they 
could  provide  for  themselves. 

The  Creek  war  led  to  a  rapid  settlement  of  their  country 
by  the  whites.  The  introduction  of  a  large  military  force 
from  Georgia  and  Tennessee,  opened  the  country  to  the  view 
of  those  armies,  and  made  them  acquainted  with  the  fine  lands 
on  their  rivers.  By  the  treaty  of  the  10th  of  August,  1814,  a 
large  portion  of  their  country  was  obtained,  and  by  a  subse- 
quent treaty,  another  large  tract  of  the  Mississippi  territory 
was  exchanged  by  them  for  lands  west  of  the  Mississippi,  on 
the  Arkansaw.  At  the  commencement  of  the  Creek  war  in 
1813,  the  number  of  white  inhabitants  in  the  whole  territory 


2ie  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap,  10. 

did  not  exceed  twenty  thousand.  Within  seven  years  from 
that  period,  they  increased  tenfold;  and  the  same  territory 
then  formed  two  respectable  states,  and  contained  a  white 
population  of  two  hundred  thousand.* 


*  Census  of  1820. 


CHAPTER  Xr, 

'Siege  of  Fort  Meigs.— Arrival  of  General  Clay  to  its  Relief.— Defeat 
and  Capture  of  Colonel  Dudley's  Detachment.— Siege  raised.— Gen- 
eral Harrison's  Measures  for  the  Defence  of  the  Lake  Erie  Frontier. 
—Gallant  Defence  of  Fort  Stephenson.— Address  of  the  Ladies  of 
Chilicothe  to  Major  Crogan.— The  Reply.— Preparations  for  building 
a  Navy  on  Lake  Erie.— Naval  Depot  at  the  Town  of  Erie. — Commo- 
dore Perry  appointed  to  the  Command ;  superintends  the  building  a 
Fleet ;  anchors  at  Put-in-Bay.— Naval  Battle.— Complete  Victory 
of  the  Americans.  Proctor  determines  to  abandon  Maiden. — Re- 
monstrance of  the  Indians. — Speech  of  Tecumseh.— Harrison  pre- 
pares to  invade  Canada ;  re-occupies  Detroit ;  pursues  Proctor  up 
the  Thames.— Battle  of  the  Moravian  Towns.— Defeat  and  Capture 
of  Proctor's  Army. — Capture  of  his  Baggage  and  Papers. — Death  of 
Tecumseh. — DissolutioB  of  the  Indian  Confederacy. — Effects  of  the 
Victory. 

Siege  of  Fort  Meigs.  After  the  defeat  ancl  capture  of  GeM- 
ral  Winchester  and  his  army  at  the  river  Raisin,  General  Harri- 
son established  his  advanced  post  at  the  foot  of  the  Miami  ra- 
pids, enclosing  about  eight  acres  with  strong  pickets,  and  es- 
tablishing batteries  at  the  most  commanding  points.  This  po- 
sition was  selected  as  being  convenient  for  keeping  open  a 
communication,  and  receiving  reinforcements  and  supplies 
from  Kentucky,  and  the  settled  parts  of  the  state  of  Ohio ; 
and  at  the  same  time  affording  the  best  station  for  protecting 
the  borders  of  lake  Erie,  re-capturing  Detroit,  and  carrying 
the  war  into  the  British  territories :  it  was  denominated  fort 
Meigs,  in  hononr  of  the  zeal  and  talents  of  the  governor  of 
Ohio.  The  Miami  of  the  lake  is  formed  by  the  St.  Marys, 
which  comes  from  the  south,  and  the  St.  Josephs,  which 
rises  in  the  Indiana  territory.  These  rivers  unite  at  fort  Wayne, 
near  the  west  line  of  the  state  of  Ohio :  from  this  point  the 
river  assumes  the  name  of  Miami,  and  runs  a  north-easterly 

28 


218  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  GaAP.  11, 

direction,  about  fifty  miles  to  fort  Winchester,  formerly  fort 
Defiance,  where  it  receives  the  waters  of  the  Auglaize  from 
the  south.  Thence  it  continues  the  same  course  forty  miles 
further  to  the  rapids,  and  after  passing  a  short  distance  below 
fort  Meigs  on  the  left,  and  the  ruins  of  a  small  village  on  the 
right,  and  embracing  a  large  island,  falls  into  the  Miami  bay, 
opposite  the  site  of  an  old  British  fort,  eighteen  miles  from 
lake  Erie.  The  rapids  terminate  at  fort  Meigs,  three  miles 
above  the  head  of  tli-  bay.  On  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice 
in  lake  Erie,  General  Proctor  with  all  his  disposable  force, 
consisting  of  regulars  and  Canadian  mihtia  from  Maiden,  and 
a  large  body  of  Indians  under  their  celebrated  chief  Tecum- 
seh,  amounting  in  the  whole  to  two  thousand  men,  laid  seige 
to  fort  Meigs.  To  encourage  the  Indians,  he  had  promised 
them  an  easy  conquest ;  and  assured  them  that  General  Har- 
rison should  be  dehvered  up  to  Tecumseh.  On  the  26th  of 
April,  the  British  columns  appeared  on  the  opposite  bank  of 
the  river,  and  established  their  principal  batteries  on  a  com- 
manding eminence  opposite  the  fort.  On  the  27th,  the  Indians 
crossed  the  river,  and  established  themselves  in  the  rear  of 
the  American  lines.  The  garrison,  not  having  completed 
their  wells,  had  no  water  except  what  they  obtained  from  the 
river,  under  a  constant  firing  of  the  enemy.  On  the  first, 
second,  and  third  of  May,  their  batteries  kept  up  an  incessant 
shower  of  balls  and  shells  upon  the  fort.  On  the  night  of 
the  third,  the  British  erected  a  gun  and  mortar  battery  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  river,  within  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of 
the  American  lines.  The  Indians  climbed  the  trees  in  the 
Reighbourhood  of  the  fort,  and  poured  in  a  gallant  fire  upon 
ihe  garrison.  In  this  situation  General  Harrison  received  a 
summons  from  Proctor  for  a  surrender  of  the  garrison,  greatly 
magnifying  his  means  of  annoyance  ;  this  was  answered  by  a 
prompt  refusal,  assuring  the  British  general  that  if  he  obtained 
possession  of  the  fort,  it  would  not  be  by  capitulation.  Ap- 
prehensive of  such  an  attack,  General  Harrison  had  made  the 
governors  of  Kentucky  and  Ohio  minutely  aequainted  with 


asi^  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  219 

his  situation,  and  stated  to  them  the  necessity  of  reinforce- 
ments for  the  relief  of  fort  Meigs.  His  requisitions  had  been 
zealously  anticipated  ;  and  Gener  1  Clay  was  at  this  moment 
descending  the  Miami  with  twelve  hundred  Kentuckians  for 
his  relief. 

Arrival  of  Succours.  At  twelve  o'clock  in  the  night  of  the 
fourth,  an  officer  arrived  from  General  Clay,  with  the  wel- 
come intelligence  of  his  approach,  stating  that  he  was  just 
above  the  rapids,  and  could  reach  him  in  two  hours,  and 
requesting  his  orders.  Harrison  determined  on  a  general 
sally,  and  directed  Clay  to  land  eight  hundred  men  on  the 
right  bank,  take  possession  of  the  British  batteries,  spike 
their  cannon,  immediately  return  to  their  boats,  and  cross 
over  to  the  American  fort.  The  remainder  of  Clay's  force 
were  ordered  to  land  on  the  left  bank,  and  fight  their  way  to 
the  fort,  while  sorties  were  t^  be  made  from  the  garrison  in 
aid  of  these  operations.  Captain  Hamilton  was  directed  ta 
proceed  up  the  river  in  a  periauger,  land  a  subaltern  on  the 
left  bank,  who  should  be  a  pilot  to  conduct  General  Clay  t» 
the  fort;  aid  then  cross  over  and  station  his  periauger  at  the 
place  designated  for  the  other  division  to  land.  General 
Clay,  having  received  these  orders,  descended  the  river  in 
order  of  battle  in  solid  columns,  each  officer  taking  position 
according  to  his  rank.  Colonel  Dudley,  being  the  eldest  in 
command,  led  the  van,  and  was  ordered  to  take  the  men  in 
the  twelve  front  boats,  and  execute  General  Harrison's  orders 
on  the  right  bank.  He  effected  his  landing  f  jt  the  place 
designated,  without  difficulty.  General  Clay  kept  close 
along  the  left  bank  until  he  came  opposite  the  place  of  Colo- 
nel Dudley's  landing,  but  not  finding  the  subaltern  there,  he 
attempted  to  cross  over  and  join  Colonel  Dudley ;  this  was 
prevented  by  the  violence  of  the  current  on  the  rapids-,  and 
he  agai  i  attempted  to  land  on  the  left  bank,  and  effected  it 
with  only  fifty  men  amid  a  brisk  fire  from  the  enemy  on  shore, 
and  made  his  way  to  the  fort,  receiving  their  fire  until  within 
the  protection  of  its  guns.     The  other  boats  under  the  com- 


22©  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  €hap.  it 

mand  of  Colonel  Bos  well,  were  driven  further  down  the  cur- 
rent, and  landed  on  the  right  to  join  Colonel  Dudley.  Here 
they  were  ordered  to  re-embark,  land  on  the  left  bank,  and 
proceed  to  the  fort.  In  the  mean  time  two  sorties  were  made 
from  the  garrison,  one  on  the  left,  in  aid  of  Colonel  Boswell, 
by  which  the  Canadian  militia  and  Indians  were  defeated,  and 
he  enabled  to  reach  the  fort  in  safety,  and  one  on  the  right 
against  the  British  batteries,  which  was  also  successful. 

Defeat  of  Colonel  Dudley,  Colonel  Dudley,  with  his  de* 
tachment  of  eight  hundred  Kentucky  militia,  completely  suc- 
ceeded in  driving  the  British  from  their  batteries,  and  spiking 
the  cannon.  Having  accomplished  thi-?  object,  his  orders 
were  peremptory  to  return  immediately  to  his  boats,  and 
cross  over  to  the  for* ;  but  the  blind  confidence  which  gen- 
erally attends  mihtia  when  successful,  proved  their  ruin. 
Although  repeatedly  ordered  by  Colonel  Dudley,  and  warned 
of  their  danger,  and  called  upon  from  the  fort  to  leave  the 
ground  ;  and  although  there  was  abundant  time  for  that  pur- 
pose, before  the  British  reinforcements  arrived ;  yet  they 
commenced  a  pursuit  of  the  Indians,  and  suffered  themselves 
to  be  dravvn  into  an  ambuscade  by  some  feint  skirmishing, 
while  the  British  troops  and  large  bodies  of  Indians  were 
brought  up,  and  intercepted  their  return  to  the  river.  Elated 
with  their  first  success,  they  considered  the  victory  as  already 
gained,  and  pursued  the  enemy  nearly  two  mile-^  into  the 
woods  and  swamps,  where  they  were  suddenly  caught  in  a 
defile,  and  surrounded  by  double  their  numbers.  Finding 
themselves  in  this  situation,  consternation  prevailed;  their  hne 
became  broken  and  disordered,  and  huddled  together  in  un- 
resisting crowds,  they  were  obliged  to  surrender  to  the  mercy 
of  the  savages*  Fortunately  for  these  unhappy  victims  of 
their  own  rashness.  General  Tecumseh  commanded  at  this 
ambuscade,  and  had  imbibed,  since  his  appointment,  more 
humane  feelings  than  his  brother  Proctor.  After  the  surren- 
der, and  all  resistance  had  ceased,  the  Indians,  finding  five 
hundred  prisoners  at  their  mercy,  began  the  work  of  massacr© 


ibl3.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WA^  221 

With  the  most  savage  delight.  Tecumseh  sternly  forbade  it, 
and  buried  his  tomahawk  in  the  head  of  one  of  his  chiefs  who 
refused  obedience.  This  order  accompanied  with  this  deci- 
sive manner  of  enforcing  it,  put  an  end  to  the  massacre.  Of 
eight  hundred  men,  only  one  hundred  and  fifty  escaped.  The 
residue  were  slain,  or  made  prisoners.  Colonel  Dudley  was 
severely  wounded  in  the  action,  and  afterwards  tomahawked 
and  scalpfcd. 

Siege  raised.  Proctor,  seeing  no  prospect  of  taking  the  fort, 
and  finding  his  Indians  fast  leaving  him,  raised  the  siege  on 
the  9th  of  May,  and  returned  with  precipitation  to  Maiden* 
Tecumseh  and  a  considerable  portion  of  the  Indians  remained 
in  service ;  but  large  numbers  left  it  in  disgust,  and  were 
ready  to  join  the  Americans.  On  the  left  bank,  in  the  several 
sorties  of  the  5th  of  May,  and  during  the  seige,  the  American 
loss  was  eighty-one  killed,  and  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine 
wounded*  General  Harrison  having  repaired  the  fort,  and 
committed  its  defence  to  General  Clay,  repaired  to  Frank- 
linton  to  organize  the  new  levies,  and  systematize  a  plan  of 
defence  for  the  Erie  frontier.  At  lower  Sandusky  he  met 
Governor  Meigs  at  the  head  of  a  large  body  of  Ohio  volun- 
teers, pressing  on  to  his  relief,  and  gave  him  the  pleasing 
intelligence,  that  the  siege  was  raised.  The  volunteers  were 
there  discharged  with  the  warmest  acknowledgments  of  the 
governor  and  general,  for  their  promptness  and  zeal  in  march- 
ing to  the  rehef  of  fort  Meigs. 

Defence  of  the  Erie  Frontier.  At  this  period  the  situa* 
tion  of  the  settlements  bordering  on  lake  Erie,  was  pecuharly 
alarming ;  the  British  and  Indians  were  in  superior  force  at 
the  head  of  the  lake,  and  having  the  perfect  command  of  the 
navigation,  could  strike  at  any  point  within  twenty  miles  of 
the  shore,  in  forty-eight  hours,  perform  their  work  of  destruc- 
tion, and  secure  themselves  on  board  their  shipping  before 
any  succours  could  arrive.  Tecumseh  and  Proctor  seem  to 
have  been  selected  with  peculiar  judgment  for  such  a  work. 
Probably  two  more  fit  instruments  could  not  have  been  found 


222  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  10. 

in  the  whole  British  service.  Not  a  dwelling  or  a  village 
within  twenty  miles  of  the  lake  shore  could  be  considered  for 
a  single  night  as  safe  form  conflagration.  The  difficult  and 
important  task  of  defending  this  frontier,  and  retrieving  the 
losses  occasioned  by  the  cowardice  of  General  Hull,  and  the 
precipitancy  of  General  Winchester,  put  to  the  severest  test 
the  bravery,  skill,  and  judgment  of  General  Harrison  ;  his 
first  measure  was  to  ascertain  with  certainty  what  was  to  be 
depended  on  from  the  neighbouring  Indians.  For  this  pur- 
pose he  held  a  council  at  Franklinton  on  the  21st  of  June, 
with  fifty  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Delaware,  Shawanee,  Wyandot, 
and  Seneca  tribes;  and  stated  to  them  that  the  crisis  had 
now  arrived  in  which  they  must  take  a  stand  either  for  or 
against  the  United  States.  As  guarantees  of  their  fidelity, 
they  must  either  remove  with  their  families  into  the  settle- 
ments of  the  whites,  or  their  warriors  must  accompany  him  to 
the  field.  The  chiefs  and  warriors  unanimously  agreed  to 
the  latter.  The  general  then  informed  them,  that  all  who 
accompanied  him  must  conform  to  his  mode  of  warfare,  and 
never  injure  or  destroy  old  men,  women,  children,  or  prison- 
ers. He  further  stated  to  them,  that,  as  General  Proctor 
had  stipulated  to  deliver  him  to  Tecumseh,  had  he  succeeded 
in  taking  fort  Meigs,  he  would  now  engage  to  deliver  Gen- 
eral Proctor  into  their  hands,  on  condition  that  they  would  do 
him  no  other  harm  than  to  dress  him  in  squaw's  clothes,  ob- 
serving that  none  but  cowards  and  squaws  would  kill  a  pris- 
oner. 

The  general's  next  measure  was  to  establish  posts  near 
the  lake  shore  at  the  most  exposed  points,  and  within  sup- 
porting distances  of  each  other;  with  this  view  fort  Stephen- 
son was  established  at  lower  Sandusky,  on  the  river,  within 
eighteen  miles  of  its  entrance  into  the  bay,  and  forty  from  fort 
Meigs.  The  defence  of  it  was  intrusted  to  Major  George 
Crogan,  one  of  the  Kentucky  volunteers,  who  had  accom- 
panied General  Clay  as  his  aid,  and  was  now  detached  from 
fort  Meigs,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  his  comrades,  on 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  223 

this  service.  General  Harrison,  afterwards  finding  he  could 
spare  no  greater  force  for  the  defence  of  this  place,  and 
viewing  it  as  untenable,  ordered  it  to  be  demolished,  and  the 
garrison  to  retire  to  upper  Sandusky.  On  receiving  this 
order,  the  young  hero  immediately  repaired  to  head-quarters^ 
and  gave  the  General  such  evidence  of  his  ability  to  sustain 
an  attack  as  induced  him  to  rescind  the  order.  Soon  after 
his  return  to  the  fort,  the  valour  of  Major  Crogan  and  his 
corps  was  put  to  the  severest  test. 

Assault  on  Fort  Stephenson,  On  the  1st  of  August,  Gen- 
eral Proctor  with  twelve  hundred  men,  appeared  on  the  river 
approaching  the  fort.  The  brave  little  band  in  the  garrison 
saw  the  river  covered  with  boats,  fraught  with  men,  arms,  and 
artillery,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  slowly  advancing  in 
order  of  battle,  to  the  attack  and  as  the  British  supposed,  cer- 
tain destruction,  of  the  fort.  Just  out  of  reach  of  the  artillery 
of  the  fort,  which  consisted  only  of  one  six  pounder,  the  Gen- 
eral landed  his  troops,  took  possession  of  all  the  avenues  of 
escape,  planted  his  batteries  in  commanding  positions,  and 
summoned  the  garrison  to  surrender,  greatly  magnifying  his 
forces,  and  stating  as  usual,  that  if  the  fort  was  taken  by 
storm  it  would  not  be  in  his  power  to  prevent  a  massacre. 
The  reply  was  a  determined  refusal,  and  this  brave  corps  of 
heroic  youth,  their  commander  being  only  twenty-one,  and 
his  associates  of  about  the  same  age,  in  the  face  of  eight  times 
their  number,  prepared  for  death  or  victory.  When  the  flag 
returned,  it  was  dark,  and  a  heavy  and  incessant  firing  com- 
menced and  continued  through  the  night,  both  from  the  gun- 
boats in  the  river,  and  the  batteries  on  shore.  The  garrison 
was  protected  by  pickets  eighteen  feet  high,  with  bayonets 
nailed  at  tho  top,  and  pointing  horizontally,  and  at  the  foot  of 
the  pickets  by  a  ditch  six  feet  in  width  and  depth.  The 
firing  during  the  night  had  but  little  effect;  early  in  the  morn- 
ing another  battery  was  opened  within  two  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  of  the  pickets,  and  the  fire  directed  to  the  north-west 
angle,  which  appeared  to  be  the  weakest  point.     This  Major 


^U  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  fi. 

Cpogan  secured  by  hanging  over  the  pickets  bags  of  sand  and 
flour,  so  that  little  injury  was  sustained  from  the  balls.  Hav- 
ing continued  the  fire  from  the  batteries  until  four  in  the  after* 
noon,  General  Proctor,  finding  that  no  material  effect  was  pro- 
duced, ordered  an  assault  upon  the  northwest  angle.  A 
column  of  five  hundred  men  advanced  amid  such  a  firing  and 
cloud  of  smoke,  that  they  were  not  discovered  until  within 
about  twenty  paces  of  the  works.  At  the  same  time  two 
feints  were  made  on  the  front  of  Captain  Hunter's  lines.  The 
assailants  were  thrown  into  some  confusion  by  a  well  directed 
fire  from  the  garrison,  but  soon  rallied,  and  rapidly  advancing, 
began  to  leap  the  ditch ;  at  this  moment  a  fire  of  grape 
opened  from  their  six  pounder,  which  had  been  concealed, 
and  was  now  so  placed  as  to  rake  the  ditch  in  the  direction 
of  the  assailants;  this,  with  an  incessant  fire  of  musketry, 
broke  their  ranks,  and  induced  a  precipitate  retreat  to  the 
woods.  During  the  whole  time  of  the  assault,  which  lasted 
thirty  minutes,  a  constant  and  heavy  fire  was  kept  up  from 
the  batteries. 

Repulse.  Colonel  Short,  who  commanded  the  regulars, 
composing  the  forlorn  hope,  having  formed  his  line  parallel 
with  the  works,  ordered  his  men  to  leap  the  ditch,  cut  down 
the  pickets,  and  give  the  Americans  no  quarters ;  at  that 
moment  he  received  a  mortal  wound  in  the  body,  fell  into  the 
ditch,  hoisted  a  flag  on  the  end  of  his  sword,  and  begged  for 
that  mercy  which  he  had  a  moment  before  ordered  to  be 
denied  to  his  enemy.  Fifty-two  dead,  dying,  and  wounded 
were  left  in  the  ditch ;  the  groans  of  the  wounded,  and  their 
constant  cries  for  water,  excited  the  compassion  of  the  gar- 
rison to  such  a  degree,  that  they  were  induced  to  supply  them, 
though  at  the  risk  of  their  lives,  as  a  constant  firing  was  kept 
up  from  the  batteries  during  the  night.  At  three  in  the  morn- 
ing, the  brave  youth  in  the  garrison  had  the  satisfaction  to  see 
the  assailing  foe  quit  the  ground,  re-embark,  and  proceed 
down  the  river,  leaving  behind  them  seventy  stands  of  arms, 
several  braces  of  pistols,  and  a  boat  loaded  with  clothing  and 


It  13.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  22« 

military  stores.  Their  loss  was  estimated  at  one  hundred  and 
fifty.  One  heutcnant  colonel,  one  lieutenant,  and  fifty  rank 
and  file,  were  found  dead  and  wounded  in  front  of  the  works. 
The  remainder  of  the  wounded  were  taken  ofi'by  the  Indians 
during  the  night.  The  American  loss  was  one  killed,  and 
seven  wounded.  This  defeat  was  the  more  humiliating  to 
General  Proctor,  as  it  was  accomplished  by  a  small  band  of 
raw  soldiers,  commanded  by  an  inexperienced  youth.  To  the 
border  inhabitants  it  was  highly  important,  as  it  secured  them 
from  further  Indian  massacre.  Proctor's  allies  became  dis- 
affected, and  left  him  in  great  numbers.  The  state  of  Ohio, 
within  whose  limits  this  achievement  was  accomplished,  more 
immediately  experienced  its  beneficial  consequences.  The 
ladies  of  Chilicothe,  immediately  on  hearing  the  news,  pre- 
sented their  favourite  hero  with  an  elegant  sword  accompanied 
with  the  following  card. 

^^  Chilicothe,  August  ISth,  1013. 
-'  Sir, 

"  In  consequence  of  the  gallant  defence,  which,  under  the 
influence  of  Divine  Providence,  was  effected  by  you  and  the 
troops  under  your  command,  of  fort  Stevenson,  on  Lower 
Sandusky,  on  the  second  instant,  the  undersigned,  ladies  of 
Chilicothe,  impressed  with  a  high  sense  of  your  merits  as  a 
soldier  and  a  gendeman,  and  with  great  confidence  in  your 
])alriotism  and  valour,  present  you  this  sword. 
'"'•  Major  George  Croga>'." 

To  which  they  received  the  following  reply : 

'^ Lower  Sandusky,  August  25th,  lol3. 
"Ladies  of  Chilicothe, 

"  1  have  received  the  sword  you  was  pleased  to 
])rcsent  me  as  a  testimonial  of  your  approbation  of  my  con- 
duct on  the  second  instant.  A  mark  of  distinction  so  flatter- 
ing and  so  unexpected,  has  excited  feelings  which  1  can- 
nut  express  5  yet  wliile  I  return  you  thanks  for  the  unmoriteil 

20 


^26  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  U 

gift  you  have  thus  bestowed,  1  feel  well  aware  the  good  for- 
tune, bought  by  the  activity  of  the  brave  officers  and  soldiers 
under  my  command,  has  raised  in  you  expectations  from  my 
future  efforts,  which  must,  1  fear,,  sooner  or  later  be  disap- 
pointed. Still  I  pledge  myself  that  my  exertions  shall  be 
such  as  never  to  cause  you  in  the  least  to  regret  the  honours 
you  have  been  pleased  to  confer  on  your  youthful  soldier. 

"  GEORGE  CROGAN.'- 

Such  rewards  of  valour,  so  handsomely  bestowed,  excited 
in  the  breasts  of  the  youthful  officers,  the  nursery  of  the  army, 
an  ardour  and  emulation  not  to  be  extinguished  or  overcome. 

The  enemy  appeared  several  times  in  the  course  of  the 
summer  before  fort  Meigs,  and  threatened  another  seige,  but 
finding  it  well  secured,  made  no  attempt.  After  their  defeat 
at  Sandusky,  they  made  no  further  hostile  movements  of  any 
magnitude,  until  the  subsequent  events  on  lake  Erie  wholly 
changed  the  complexion  of  affairs  on  this  frontier. 

Mtvy  on  Lake  Erie,  The  original  plan  of  operations  in  re- 
lation to  the  western  section  of  the  Canadas  was,  to  take  the 
countries  bordering  upon  the  upper  lakes,  which  would  have 
superseded  the  necessity  of  a  naval  force  upon  those  waters. 
The  small  British  naval  power,  being  deprived  of  harbours,  it 
was  expected  would  of  necessity  have  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  the  Americans.  The  unexpected  surrender  of  General 
Hull  and  his  army  wholly  frustrated  this  measure,  and  ren- 
dered a  superior  force  on  lake  Erie  necessary  for  the  defence 
of  the  American  territory  bordering  on  the  lake,  as  well  as 
far  offensive  operations  in  Canada.  After  the  surrender  of 
Detroit,  government  immediately  turned  their  attention  to  this 
object.  Oliver  H.  Perry,  a  brave  and  accomplished  young 
officer,  who  had  the  command  of  a  flotilla  of  gun-boats  for 
the  defence  of  New- York,  was  designated  to  the  command  on 
lake  Eri<^.  At  this  time,  the  United  States  possessed  no  naval 
lorco  on  the  lake  ;  the  only  vessels  belonging  to  the  govcrn- 
nir:it  wove  raptnred  at  Drfroit.     The  southern,  or  American 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  227 

lake  shore,  is  principally  a  sand  beach,  formed  by  the  sedi- 
ment of  the  lake  driven  upon  the  shore   by  the  northerly 
winds.     There  are  but  few  harbours,  and  those  encumbered 
with  bars  at  their  entrance.     At  Presque  Isle,  within  the 
bounds  of  Pennsylvania,  and  ninety  miles  west  of  Buffalo. 
a  peninsula  extending  a  considerable  distance  into  the  lake 
encircles  a  harbour,  on  the  borders  of  which  is  built  the  vil- 
lage of  Erie.     At  this  place  Commodore  Perry  was  directed 
io  repair,  and  superintend  a  naval  establishment,  the  object 
of  which  was  to  create  a  superior  force  on  the  lake.     The 
difficulties  of  building  a  navy  in  the  wilderness  can  only  bo 
conceived  by  those  who  have  experienced  them.     There  was 
nothing  at  this  spot  out  of  which  it  could  be  built,  but  the 
timber  of  the   forest.     Ship-builders,   sailors,   naval  stores, 
guns,  and  ammunition,  were  to  be  transported  by  land  over 
bad  roads  a  distance  of  four  hundred  miles,  either  from  Albany 
by  the  way  of  Buffalo,  or  from  Philadelphia  by  the  way  ol" 
Pittsburgh.     Under  all  these  embarrassments,  by  the  first  of 
August,    1813,    Commodore   Perry  had  provided  a  flotilla, 
consisling   of  the   ships    Lawrence    and  Niagara   of  twen- 
ty guns  each,   and  seven  smaller  vessels,   to   wit,  one   of 
four  guns,   one  of  three,  two  of  two,  and  three  of  one  ;  in 
the  whole  fifty-four  guns.     While  the  ships  were  building,  the 
enemy  frequently  appeared  off  the  harbour  and  threatened 
their  destruction,  but  the  shallowness  of  the  water  on  the  bar, 
their  being  but  five  feet,  prevented  their  approach.   The  same 
cause,  which  ensured  the  safety  of  the  ships  while  building, 
seemed  to   prevent  their  being  of  any  service.     The   two 
largest  drew  several  feet  more  water  than  there  was  on  the 
bar.     The  inventive  genius  of  Commodore  Perry,  however, 
soon  surmounted  this  difficulty ;  he  placed  large  scows  on  each 
side  of  the  two  largest  ships,  filled  them  so  as  to  sink  to  the 
water  edge,  then  attached  them  to  the  ships  by  strong  pieces 
of    timber,  and   pumped  out  the  water.     The  scows   then 
buoyed  up  the  ships  so  as  to  pass  the  bar  in  safety.     This 
operation  was  performed  on  both  the  large  ships,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  a  superior  enemy.     Having  gotten  his  fleet  in  readi- 


228  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap,  li 

ncss,  Commodore  Perry  proceeded  to  the  head  of  the  lake  and 
anchored  in  Put-in-Bay,  opposite  to,  and  distant  thirty  miles 
from  Maiden,  where  the  British  fleet  lay  under  the  gims  of  the 
ibrt.     He  lay  at  anchor  here  several  days',  watching  the  mo- 
tions of  the  enemy,  determined  to  give  him  battle  the  first  fa- 
vourable opportunity.  On  the  1 0th  ofSeptember  at  sunrise,  the 
British  fleet,  consisting  of  one  ship  of  nineteen  guns,  one  of 
seventeen,  one  of  thirteen,  and  one  of  ten,  one  of  three,  and 
one  of  one,  amounting  to  sixty-four,  and  exceeding  the  Ameri- 
cans by  ten  guns,  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Barclay 
appeared  off  Put-in-Bay,  distant  about  ten  miles.  Commodore 
Perry  immediately  got  under  weigh  with  a  light  breeze  at 
sout-hwest.     At  10  o'clock,  the  wind  hauled  to  the  south-east 
which  brought  the  American  squadron  to  the  windward,  and 
gave  them  the  weathergage.     Commodore  Perry,  on  board 
the  Lawrence,  then  hoisted  his  union  jack,  having  for  a  motto 
the   dying  words  of  Captain   Lawrence,  "  Don^t  give  vp  the 
ship,^^  which  was  received  with  repeated  cheers  by  the  crew. 
Naval  Battle,     He  then  formed  the  line  of  battle,  and  bore 
up  for  the  enemy,  who  at  the  same  time  hauled  his  courses 
and  prepared  for  action.     The  lightness  of  the  wind,  occa- 
sioned the  hostile  squadrons  to  approach  each  other  but  slow- 
ly, and  prolonged  for  two  hours,  the  solemn  interval  of  sus- 
pense and  anxiety  which  precedes  a  battle.     The  order  and 
regularity  of  naval  discipline  heightened  the  dreadful  quiet  of 
the  moment.     No  noise,  no  bustle,  prevailed  to  distract  the 
mind,exceptat  intervals,  the  shrill  pipings  of  the  boatswain's 
whistle,  or  a  murmuring  w^hisper  among  the  men,  who  stood 
in  groups  around  their  guns,  with  lighted  matches,  narrowly 
watching  the  movements  of  the  foe,  and  sometimes  stealing 
a  glance  at  the  countenances  of  their  commanders.     In   this 
manner,  the  hostile  fleets  gradually  neared  each  other  in  awful 
silence.     At  fifteen  minutes  after  eleven,  a  bugle  was  sound- 
ed on  board  the  enemy's  head-most  ship,  Detroit,  loud  cheers 
burst  from  all  their  crews,  and  a  tremendous  fire  opened  upon 
"the  Jiawrence.  from   tho  British  lon<r  G:uns,   which,  from  the 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  TIIE  LATE  WAR.  229 

shortness  of  the  Lawrence's,  she  was  obhged  to  sustain  for 
forty  minutes  without  being  able  to  return  a  shot. 

Gommodore  Perry,  without  waiting  for  the  other  ships,  kept 
on  his  course  in  such  gallant  and  determined  style,  that  the 
enemy  supposed  he  meant  immediately  to  board.  At  five 
minutes  before  tw^elve,  having  gained  a  nearer  position,  the 
Lawrence  opened  her  fire,  but  the  long  guns  of  the  British 
still  gave  them  greatly  the  advantage,  and  the  Lawrence  was 
exceedingly  cut  up  without  being  able  to  do  but  very  little 
damage  in  return.  Their  shot  pierced  her  side  in  all  direc- 
tions, killing  the  men  in  the  birth-deck  and  steerage,  where 
they  had  been  carried  to  be  dressed.  One  shot  had  nearly 
produced  a  fatal  explosion ;  passing  through  the  light  room, 
it  knocked  thesnuffof  the  candle  into  the  magazine,  fortunately 
the  gunner  saw  it,  and  had  the  presence  of  mind  immediately 
to  extinguish  it.  It  appeared  to  be  the  enemy's  plan  at  all 
events  to  destroy  the  commodore's  ship  ;  their  heaviest  fire 
was  directed  against  the  Lawrence,  and  blazed  incessantly 
from  all  their  largest  yessels.  Commodore  Perry,  finding  the 
hazard  of  his  situation,  made  all  sail  and  directed  the  other 
vessels  to  follow  for  the  purpose  of  closing  with  the  enemy. 
The  tremendous  fire,  however,  to  which  he  was  exposed,  soon 
cut  away  every  brace  and  bowline  of  the  Lawrence,  and  she 
became  unmanageable.  The  other  vessels  were  unable  to 
get  up  ;  and  in  this  disastrous  situation  she  sustained  the  main 
force  of  the  enemy's  fire  for  "upwards  of  tw^o  hours,  within 
cannister  distance,  though  a  considerable  part  of  the  time  not 
more  than  two  or  three  of  her  guns  could  be  brought  to  bear 
on  her  antagonist.  The  utmost  order  and  regularity  prevailed 
during  this  scene  of  horror ;  as  fast  as  the  men  at  the  guns 
were  wounded,  they  were  carried  below,  and  others  stepped 
into  their  places;  the  dead  remained  where  they  fell  until 
after  the  action  ;  at  this  juncture  the  enemy  believed  the 
battle  to  be  won.  The  Lawrence  was  reduced  to  a  mere 
wreck,  her  deck  was  streaming  with  blood,  and  covered  with 
che  mangled  limbs  and  bodies  of  the  slain  ;  nearly  the  w'hole 


•30  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  U. 

of  her  crew  were  either  killed  or  wounded  ;  her  guns  were 
dismounted,  and  the  commodore  and  his  officers  helped  to 
work  the  last  that  was  capable  of  service.  At  two.  Captain 
EUiott  was  enabled  by  the  aid  of  a  fresh  breeze  to  bring  his 
ship  into  close  action  in  gallant  style :  and  the  commodore  im- 
mediately determined  to  shift  his  flag  on  board  that  ship  ;  and 
giving  his  own  in  charge  to  Lieutenant  Yarnell,  he  hauled 
down  his  union  jack  and  taking  it  under  his  arm,  ordered  a 
boat  to  put  him  on  board  the  Niagara.  Broadsides  were  lev- 
elled at  his  boat,  and  a  shower  of  musketry  from  three  of  the 
enemy's  ships.  He  arrived  safe  and  hoisted  his  union  jack, 
with  the  animating  motto,  on  board  the  Niagara.  Captain 
Elliott  by  direction  of  the  commodore,  immediately  put  off  in  a 
boat  to  bring  up  the  schooners  which  had  been  kept  back  by 
the  lightness  of  the  wind.  At  this  moment  the  flag  of  the  Law- 
rence was  hauled  down  ;  she  had  sustained  the  principal  force 
of  the  enemy's  fire  for  two  hours,  and  was  rendered  incapa- 
pable  of  defence.  Any  further  show  of  resistance  would 
have  been  a  useless  sacrifice  of  the  relics  of  her  brave  and 
mangled  crew.  The  enemy  were  at  the  same  time  so  crippled, 
that  they  were  unable  to  take  possession  of  her,  and  circum- 
stances soon  enabled  her  crew  again  to  hoist  her  flag.  Com- 
modore Perry  now  gave  the  signal  to  all  the  vessels  for  close 
action.  The  small  vessels,  under  the  direction  of  Captain 
Elliott,  got  out  their  sweeps,  and  made  all  sail.  Finding  the 
Niagara  but  litde  ii^ured,  the  commander  determined  upon 
the  bold  and  desperate  expedient  of  breaking  the  enemy's 
line  4  he  accordingly  bore  up  and  passed  the  head  of  the  two 
ships  and  brig,  giving  them  a  raking  fire,  from  his  starboard 
guns,  and  also  a  raking  fire  upon  a  large  schooner  and  sloop, 
from  his  larboard  quarter,  at  half  pistol  shot.  Having  gotten 
the  whole  squadron  into  action,  he  luffed  up  and  laid  his  ship 
alongside  of  the  British  commodore.  The  small  vessels  hav- 
ing now  got  up  within  good  grape  and  cannister  distance  on 
the  other  quarter,  enclosed  their  enemy  between  them  and 
the  Niagara,  and  in  this  position  kept  up  a  most  destructive 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  231 

fire  on  both  quarters  of  the  British,  until  every  ship  struck 
her  colours. 

Victory,     The  engagement  lasted  about  three  hours,  and 
never  was  victory  more  decisive  and  complete.     More  pris- 
oners were  taken  than  there  were  men  on  board  the  American 
squadron  at  the  close  of  the  action.     The  principal  loss  in 
killed  and  wounded  was  on  board  the  Lawrence,  before  the 
other  vessels  were  brought  into  action.     Of  her  crew  twenty- 
two  were  killed,  and  sixty   wounded.     When  her  flag  was 
struck,  but  twenty  men  remained  on  deck  fit  for  duty.     The 
loss  on  board  of  all  the  other  vessels  was  only  five  killed,  and 
thirty-six  wounded.*     The  British  loss  must  have  been  much 
more  considerable.     Commodore  Barclay  was  dangerously 
wounded.     He  had  lost  one  arm  in  the  battle  of  Trafalgar.^ 
The  other  was  now  rendered  useless,  by  the  loss  of  a  part  of 
his  shoulder-blade  ;  he  received  also  a  severe  wound  in  the 
hip. 

Commodore  Perry,  in  his  official  despatch,  speaks  in  the 
highest  terms  of  respect  and  commiseration  for  his  wounded 
antagonist,  and  asks  leave  to  grant  him  an  immediate  parole. 
Of  Captain  Elliott,  his  second  in  command,  he  says,  "  That  he 
is  already  so  well  known  to  the  government,  that  it  would  be 
almost  superfluous  to  speak.  In  this  action  he  evinced  his 
characteristic  bravery  and  judgment,  and  since  the  close  of 
it  has  given  me  the  most  able  and  essential  assistance."  Not- 
withstanding this  high  encomium  of  his  commander,  under 
whose  eye  he  acted  during  the  whole  engagement,  this  brave 
oflicer  has  been  accused  of  cowardice  and  disobedience  of 
orders,  in  not  bringing  his  ship  sooner  into  action*  The  bold 
and  desperate  measure  of  pressing  forward  into  action  with 
the  Lawrence  alone,  and  exposing  her  to  the  whole  fire  of  tho 
enemy's  fleet  for  two  hours,  before  the  other  ships  could  be 
got  up,  has  been  censured  as  rash,  and  not  warranted  by  the 
rules  of  naval  war ;  but  there  arc  seasons  when  the  com« 
mander  must  rely  more  on  the  daring  promptness  of  his 

'■^  Commodore  Perry's  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 


232  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  11. 

measures,  than  on  nice  calculations  of  comparative  strength. 
Neither  Bonaparte  nor  Nelson  ever  stopped  to  measure  accu- 
rately the  strength  of  the  respective  combatants.  The  result, 
is  the  acknowledged  and  generally  the  best  criterion  of  merit ; 
and  it  should  not  detract  from  the  eclat  of  the  successful 
commander  that  his  measures  were  bold  and  decisive. 

Two  days  after  the  battle,  two  Indian  chiefs  who  had  been 
selected  for  their  skill  as  marksmen,  and  stationed  in  the  tops 
of  the  Detroit,  for  the  purpose  of  picking  off  the  American 
officers,  were  found  snugly  stowed  away  in  the  hold  of  the 
Detroit.  These  savages,  who  had  been  accustomed  to  ships 
of  no  greater  magnitude  than  what  they  could  sling  on  their 
backs,  when  the  action  became  warm,  were  so  panic-struck 
at  the  ten-ors  of  the  scene,  and  the  strange  perils  that  sur- 
rounded them,  that,  looking  at  each  other  with  amazement, 
they  vociferated  their  significant  quonh,  and  precipitately 
descended  to  the  hold.  In  their  British  liniforms  hanging  in 
bags  upon  their  famished  bodies,  they  were  brought  before 
Commodore  PeiTy,  fed,  and  discharged ;  no  further  parole 
being  necessary,  to  prevent  their  afterwards  engaging  in  the 
contest.  The  slain  of  the  crews  of  both  squadrons  were 
committed  to  the  lake  immediately  after  the  action.  The  next 
day,  the  funeral  obsequies  of  the  American  and  British  officers 
who  had  fallen,  were  jiel'formed  at  an  opening  on  the  margin 
of  the  bay,  in  an  appropriate  and  affecting  manner.  The 
crews  of  both  fleets  united  in  the  ceremony.  The  stillness  of 
the  weather — the  procession  of  boats — the  music — the  slow 
and  regular  motion  of  the  oars,  striking  in  exact  time  with  the 
notes  of  the  solemn  dirge — the  mournful  waving  of  the  flags — 
the  sound  of  the  minute-guns  from  all  the  ships — the  wild  and 
solitary  aspect  of  the  place,  gave  to  these  funeral  rites  a  most 
impressive  influence,  and  formed  an  aflccting  contrast  with 
the  terrible  conflict  of  the  preceding  day.  Then  the  people 
of  the  two  squadrons  were  engaged  in  the  deadly  strife  of 
arms :  now  they  were  associated  as  brothers,  to  pay  the  last 
tribute  of  respect  to  the  slain  of  both  nations.     T-wo  Ameri- 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  233 

can  officers,  Lieutenant  Brooks,  and  Midshipman  Laub,  of 
the  Lawrence ;  and  three  British,  Captain  Finnis,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Stoke  of  the  Charlotte,  and  Lieutenant  Garland  of  the 
Detroit,  lie  interred  by  the  side  of  each  other,  in  this  lonely 
place,  on  the  margin  of  the  lake,  a  few  paces  from  the  beach. 

This  interesting  battle  was  fought  midway  of  the  lake,  be- 
tween the  two  hostile  armies,  who  lay  on  the  opposite  shores, 
waiting  in  anxious  expectation,  its  result.  The  allied  British 
and  Indian  forces  to  the  amount  of  four  thousand  five  hundred, 
under  Proctor  and  Tecumseh,  were  at  Maiden  ready,  in  case 
of  a  successful  issue,  to  renew  their  ravages  on  the  American 
borders. 

General  Harrison'' s  Army, — General  Harrison,  with  the 
main  body  of  the  Americans,  lay  around  Sandusky  bay,  and 
at  fort  Meigs,  prepared  in  the  event  of  success  by  the  Ameri- 
can squadron,  to  recover  Detroit,  and  carry  the  war  into 
Canada.  His  army  had  lately  received  an  important  rein- 
forcement of  three  thousand  volunteers  from  Kentucky,  with 
Governor  Shelby  at  their  head.  The  valour  and  patriotism 
of  the  citizens  of  that  state,  instead  of  being  damped  by  the 
loss  of  their  comrades  at  the  river  Raisin,  and  fort  Meigs, 
glowed  with  increased  ardour.  Secure,  in  consequence  of 
her  central  situation,  from  invasion  either  by  land  or  water, 
Kentucky  might  have  contented  herself  with  bearing  her  pro- 
portion of  the  public  burthens,  and  answering  occasional  calls 
of  militia  with  little  hazard  to  the  lives  of  her  citizens.  But 
instead  of  this  cautious  and  prudent  course,  her  sons  in  great 
numbers,  were  found  foremost  in  the  ranks  of  volunteers  in 
distant  expeditions.  Colonel  R.  M.  Johnson,  who  had  been 
a  zealous  advocate  for  the  strongest  war  measures  in  Con- 
gress, and  to  whom  Mr.  Randolph]  had  pledged  himself  the 
preceding  winter  to  follow  to  the  tented  field;  immediately 
on  his  return  from  Congress  opened  a  rendezvous  at  Lexing- 
ton, raised  a  fine  regiment  of  mounted  volunteers,  and  accom- 
panied Governor  Shelby  to  the  army  of  the  north-west.  With 
these  reinforcements  the  general  found  his  army  about  six 

30 


534  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap,  i J. 

thousand  strong,  and  anxious  to  retrieve  the  losses  of  the 
past  season. 

Commodore  Perry,  having  landed  his  prisoners  at  San- 
dusky, whence  they  were  escorted  under  the  direction  of 
General  Harrison  to  the  depot  of  Chilicothe,  and  made  equal 
provision  for  the  wounded  of  both  squadrons,  prepared  to 
transport  the  army  to  Maiden.  The  Kentucky  mounted  vol- 
unteers took  the  route  by  the  western  border  of  the  lake  to 
Detroit,  and  passed  the  river  Raisin  at  Frenchtown,  where, 
in  the  January  preceding,  the  army  under  General  Winches- 
ter was  captured  and  massacred.  Here  they  halted  for  a  day, 
collected  the  unburied  remains  of  their  relatives  and  fellow- 
citizens,  and  consigned  them  to  the  earth.  Having  performed 
\his  solemn  duty,  they  proceeded  on  their  route  to  meet  Gen- 
eral Harrison. 

Proctor  evacuates  Maiden.  On  the  capture  of  his  fleet. 
Proctor,  learning  the  preparation  that  Harrison  was  making 
for  the  invasion  of  Canada,  determined  to  abandon  Maiden, 
Detroit,  and  the  western  section  of  the  Canadas,  and  to  re- 
tire by  the  river  Thames,  through  the  wilderness,  to  the  Niag- 
ara frontier.  He  put  his  heavy  artillery  and  baggage  aboard 
boats,  and  sent  them  by  Detroit  to  the  mouth  of  the  Thames, 
thence  up  that  river,  towards  the  Moravian  towns,  and  pre- 
pared to  destroy  the  works  at  Maiden  and  Detroit.  The 
sagacious  Tecumseh  saw  in  these  measures  the  total  ruin  of 
the  Tndian  confederacy,  which  he  had  formed  under  the 
auspices  of  the  British  government,  for  the  destruction  of  the 
American  settlements  in  the  west,  and  with  it  all  his  pros- 
pects. 

The  British  government  had  sent  to  Tecumseh  and  his  In- 
dians considerable  presents  in  arms,  ammunition,  and  blan- 
kets, to  encourage  and  reward  their  fidelity  ;  these  had  ar- 
rived at  Maiden  some  days  before  the  battle  on  the  lake  ;  but 
Proctor,  apprehensive  that  if  the  Indians  got  possession  of 
their  presents,  they  could  leave  him,  had  refused  to  deliver 
them.     Before  their  departure  from  Maiden,  Tecumseh  de- 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  235 

manded  these  goods,  and  addressed  Proctor  in  the  following 
strong  and  severe  terms: 

TecumseWs  Speech,  "  In  the  name  of  the  Indian  chiefs  and 
7varriors,  to  General  Proctor,  the  representative  of  our  Great 
Father  the  King. 

"  Father !  hsten  to  your  children.  You  have  them  now 
all  before  you.  The  war  before  this,  our  British  father  gave 
the  hatchet  to  his  red  children,  when  our  old  chiefs  were  alive. 
They  are  now  dead.  In  that  war  our  father  was  thrown  on 
his  back  by  the  Americans,  and  he  afterwards  took  them  by 
the  hand  without  our  knowledge,  and  we  are  afraid  he  will  do 
so  again  at  this  time. 

"  Listen !  when  war  was  declared,  our  father  stood  up  and 
gave  us  the  tomahawk,  and  told  us  he  was  now  ready  to  strike 
the  Americans,  and  that  he  wanted  our  assistance,  and  that 
he  would  certainly  get  our  lands  back,  which  the  iVmericans 
had  taken  from  us. 

''  Listen!  you  told  us  to  bring  our  families  to  this  place, 
and  we  did  so.  You  promised  to  take  care  of  them,  and  that 
they  should  want  for  nothing,  while  the  men  would  go  and 
fight  the  enemy.  You  told  your  red  children  that  you  would 
take  good  care  of  your  garrison  here,  which  made  our  hearts 
glad. 

"Listen,  father!  our  fleet  has  gone  out;  we  know  they 
have  fought ;  we  have  heard  the  great  guns,  but  know  nothing 
of  what  has  happened  to  our  father  with  one  arm.*  Our 
ships  have  gone  one  way,  and  we  are  very  much  astonished 
to  see  our  father  tying  up  every  thing,  and  preparing  to  run 
away  the  other,  without  letting  his  red  children  know  what 
he  means.  You  always  told  us  to  remain  here,  and  take  care 
of  our  lands,  which  made  our  hearts  glad.  Our  great  father 
the  king  is  the  head,  and  you  represent  him.  You  always 
told  us  you  never  could  draw  your  foot  off  British  ground ; 
but  now,  father,  we  see  you  are  drawing  back  without  seeing 

*  Commodore  Barclay. 


236  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  CuapAI 

the  enemy.  We  must  compare  our  father's  conduct  to  a  fat 
animal,  that  carries  his  tail  on  his  back,  but  when  affrighted 
drops  it  between  its  legs  and  runs  off. 

"Listen,  father!  the  Americans  have  not  yet  defeated  us 
by  land  ;  nor  are  we  sure  they  have  done  so  by  water.  We 
wish  to  remain  here  and  fight  our  enemy,  should  they  make 
their  appearance.  If  they  defeat  us,  we  shall  then  retreat 
with  our  father. 

"  Father!  we  see  you  preparing  to  march  out  of  the  garri- 
son. You  have  got  the  arms  and  ammunition  which  the  great 
father  sent  to  his  red  children.  If  you  have  any  idea  of  going 
away,  give  them  to  us,  and  you  may  go.  Our  lives  are  in  the 
hands  of  the  Great  Spirit;  we  are  determined  to  defend  our 
lands,  and  if  it  is  His  will,  we  are  determined  to  leave  our 
bones  upon  them." 

Proctor  was  in  a  strongly  fortified  camp,  with  abundance  of 
munitions  of  war,  and  with  nearly  as  many  troops  as  his 
antagonist  could  be  expected  to  bring  against  him.  His 
chance  of  a  successful  defence  at  this  point,  was  better  than 
at  any  other  to  which  he  might  retreat:  yet  neither  these  con- 
siderations, nor  the  bold  and  severe  remonstrances  of  Tecum- 
seh  and  his  associates,  had  any  influence  upon  his  fears;  he 
determined  to  prevent  the  threatened  attack  of  the  American 
general,  by  an  early  retreat  beyond  his  reach.  On  the  24th 
of  September,  he  broke  up  his  camp  at  Maiden,  destroyed  the 
public  buildings,  and  all  the  stores  that  he  could  not  carry 
with  him,  and  commenced  a  precipitate  retreat  towards  the 
head  of  the  Thames.  Many  of  his  Indians  left  him;  Tecum- 
seh,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  warriors  followed  with  reluc- 
tance. At  Dalson's  farm,  on  the  Thames,  sixty  miles  from 
Detroit,  he  made  a  halt  to  wait  the  arrival  of  his  boats  with 
the  artillery  and  baggage. 

Harrison'' s  pursuit,  Harrison  lost  no  time  in  carrying  his 
plans  into  effect.  On  the  27th  of  September,  he  embarked 
his  army  at  Portage,  and  landed  at  Maiden  ;  finding  his  ene- 
my had  fled,  he  proceeded  immediately  to  Sandwich,  detached 


1«13.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  237 

General  M'Arthur,  with  seven  hundred  men,  to  re-occupy 
Detroit  and  the  Michigan  territory;  and  on  the  second  of 
October,  being  joined  by  Colonel  Johnson's  mounted  volun- 
teers, proceeded  up  the  Thames  in  pursuit  of  Proctor.  His 
effective  force  now  amounted  to  thirty-five  hundred  men. 
Commodore  Perry  volunteered  his  services  as  aid  to  Gene- 
ral Harrison,  and  contributed  much  to  the  success  of  the  ex- 
pedition, which  his  naval  victory  had  rendered  practicable. 
On  the  evening  of  the  second  of  October,  the  army  reached 
the  river,  twenty-five  miles  from  Sandwich.  Here  they  came 
to  a  branch  of  the  Thames,  over  which  a  bridge  had  been 
erected,  and  left  entire :  they  passed  this  on  the  morning  of 
the  third,  and  hastened  on  rapidly  to  another  branch,  where 
^hey  found  and  captured  a  small  party  who  had  been  sent 
back  to  destroy  the  bridge;  this  they  had  time  only  partially 
to  accomplish:  the  bridge  was  soon  repaired,  and  the  army 
encamped  on  the  evening  of  the  third  at  Drake's  farm.  The 
artillery  and  heavy  baggage  were  brought  in  boats,  provided 
by  Commodore  Perry,  up  the  Thames  as  far  as  Dalson's. 
Thus  far  the  banks  were  low,  and  the  country  an  open 
prairie.  Above  this  point  the  banks  were  high  and  woody, 
affording  abundant  places  for  ambuscade.  General  Harrison 
left  the  boats  and  most  of  the  heavy  baggage  at  Dalson's,  un- 
der a  guard  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  infantry.  On  the  4thy 
the  army  proceeded  to  Chatham,  four  miles  in  advance  of 
Dalson's :  here  they  came  to  a  third  unfordable  branch  of  the 
Thames.  Proctor  had  destroyed  the  bridge  at  the  mouth  of 
this  stream,  and  also  the  one  at  M'Gregor's  mills,  one  mile 
above.  Large  bodies  of  Indians  appeared  on  the  opposite 
bank  to  dispute  the  passage,  and  commenced  a  sharp  fire  on 
the  American  advance  guard.  The  army  was  formed  in  oi-der 
of  batde,  two  six  pounders  were  drawn  up,  and  a  few  well 
directed  discharges  dispersed  the  savages.  A  bridge  was 
immediately  constructed,  and  the  army  crossed  and  continued 
their  advance.  Proctor  learning  the  near  approach  of  Harri- 
son, had  conveyed  his  boats  up  the  river  as  far  as  practicable, 


'23S  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  1L 

and  set  fire  to  them.  In  addition  to  the  baggage  of  the  army, 
the  boats  British  contained  the  large  supplies  of  blankets,  arms, 
and  ammunition  for  the  Indians,  which  Tecumseh  had  claim- 
ed to  have  delivered  to  them  at  Maiden.  A  part  of  these 
supplies  were  landed  and  stored  in  buildings  on  the  river,  and 
a  part  remained  on  board  the  boats.  A  quantity  of  them  was 
found  in  a  house  which  was  in  flames  near  the  last  bridge. 
The  fire  was  soon  extinguished,  and  the  arms  saved.  At  the 
first  farm  above  the  bridge  was  found  one  of  the  enemy's 
boats  on  fire,  deeply  laden  with  Indian  supplies ;  and  at 
Bowie's  farm,  four  miles  further  in  advance,  where  the  army 
halted  for  the  night,  they  found  two  other  boats,  and  a  large 
distillery,  filled  with  ordnance  and  other  valuable  stores,  in 
flames.  Two  twenty-four  pounders,  with  their  carriages,  and 
a  large  quantity  of  ammunition  and  shells,  w^ere  taken  at  this 
place.  On  the  5th,  the  army  continued  their  march  on  the 
left  bank,  and  took  two  gun-boats,  and  several  batteaux 
laden  with  provisions  and  ammunition.  By  nine  o'clock, 
they  arrived  at  Arnold's  mills,  where  was  the  only  fording- 
place  for  several  miles  ;  and  this  was  now  too  deep  for  in- 
fantry. Each  dragoon  took  one  of  the  infantry  behind  him, 
and  crossed  over;  by  these  means,  and  with  the  assistance 
of  some  boats,  the  army  were  soon  landed  on  the  right  bank, 
and  immediately  commenced  their  line  of  march  up  the  river. 
Eight  miles  further  they  passed  a  farm  where  the  rear  of  the 
British  army  had  encamped  the  preceding  night.  A  recon- 
noitering  party  returned,  and  reported  that  Proctor,  with  the 
main  body,  was  posted  near  the  Moravian  towns,  four  miles 
in  advance.  The  road  this  distance  passes  through  a  beach 
forest,  without  any  clearing,  and  for  the  first  two  miles  near 
the  bank  of  the  river ;  about  three  hundred  yards  from  the 
river  and  parallel  to  it,  an  impenetrable  swamp  extends  the 
whole  distance  ;  the  intermediate  space  is  hard  ground,  some- 
what elevated,  and  covered  with  trees.  The  whole  British 
and  Indian  force  were  drawn  up  in  a  strong  position  across 
this  strip  of  hard  land,  their  left  resting  on  the  river,  sup- 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  239 

ported  by  a  strong  battery  placed  in  the  road,  and  their  right 
protected  by  the  swamp,  and  covered  by  the  whole  Indian 
force.  General  Harrison  immediately  formed  his  line  of  battle. 
General  Trotter's  brigade  of  Kentucky  volunteers  formed  the 
front  hne,  his  right  resting  on  the  road,  and  his  left  on  the 
swamp.  The  whole  of  General  Desha's  division,  consisting 
of  two  brigades,  were  formed  upon  Trotter's  left  flank,  the 
crotchet  formed  by  the  front  line,  and  General  Desha's  divi- 
sion was  occupied  by  the  venerable  governor  of  Kentucky, 
who  8t  the  age  of  sixty-six,  manifested  all  the  ardour  of 
youth,  aided  by  the  experience  of  age.  The  second  line 
consisting  of  General  King's  brigade  was  formed  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  yards  in  the  rear  of  the  first,  and  Chile's  brig- 
ade as  a  corps  de  reserve  in  the  rear  of  King's.  The  flanks 
of  the  enemy  were  secured  in  such  a  manner  as  to  render  it 
impossible  to  turn  them.  The  only  alternative  was  to  charge 
directly  in  front.  This  hazardous  duty  was  assigned  to  Colo- 
nel Johnson's  mounted  infantry.  For  this  purpose  they  were 
drawn  up  in  close  columns  with  their  right,  at  the  distance  of 
fifty  yards  from  the  road,  protected  in  some  measure  by  the 
trees  from  the  artillery,  and  their  left  resting  on  the  swamp ; 
and  were  ordered  to  charge  at  full  speed  as  soon  as  the  ene- 
my had  delivered  their  fire. 

Battle  of  the  Moravian  towns.  Having  made  these  arrange- 
ments, General  Harrison,  with  Commodore  Perry,  Captain 
Butfer,  and  General  Cass,  as  his  aids,  took  his  station  at  the 
head  of  the  front  line,  and  moved  on  to  the  attack.  In  a  few 
moments  the  mounted  men  received  the  fire  of  the  British  line, 
and  were  ordered  to  charge.  The  horses  in  the  front 
column  recoiled  from  the  fire  ;  another  was  immediately  given 
by  the  enemy,  and  the  American  column,  at  length  getting  in 
motion,  broke  through  the  British  ranks  with  irresistible  force. 
In  one  minute  the  contest  in  front  was  over;  the  British  offi- 
cers seeing  no  hopes  of  reducing  their  broken  ranks  to  order, 
and  the  mounted  men  wheeling  upon  them  and  pouring  in  a 


240  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Cmap.  li. 

destructive  fire,  they  immediately  surrendered.*  Upon  the 
left  the  contest  was  more  severe  with  the  Indians.  Colonel 
Johnson,  who  commanded  on  that  flank  of  his  regiment, 
received  a  most  galling  fire.  At  the  head  of  his  column  he 
led  them  into  the  hottest  of  the  action,  and  was  personally 
opposed  to  Tecumseh  ;  at  this  point  a  mass  of  savages  were 
collected.  Johnson,  mounted  on  an  elegant  white  charger, 
was  easily  distinguished  as  an  officer  of  rank ;  a  shower  of 
balls  were  discharged  at  him,  his  horse  was  shot  and  fell,  his 
clothes,  saddle,  and  person  were  pierced  with  a  number  of 
balls. 

Tecumseh  slain.  Tecumseh,  seeing  his  antagonist  falling, 
rushed  towards  him  with  his  uplifted  tomahawk  to  give  the 
fatal  blow  ;  when  within  a  few  yards,  Johnson  drew  his  pistol, 
and  laid  his  daring  opponent  dead  at  his  feet.  He  was  una- 
ble to  do  more ;  he  had  received  three  shots  in  the  thigh,  and 
two  in  the  arm;  the  loss  of  blood  deprived  him  of  the  power 
of  standing,  and  he  lay  exhausted  and  helpless  by  the  side 
of  his  antagonist.  At  the  moment  Tecumseh  fell,  the  Indians 
around  him  gave  way.  Those  still  further  on  the  left  of  the 
American  lines,  advanced  and  fell  in  with  the  front  line  of 
infantry  near  its  junction  with  Desha's  division,  and  for  a 
moment  made  an  impression ;  Governor  Shelby,  however, 
brought  up  another  regiment  to  its  support,  and  a  part  of 
Colonel  Johnson's  regiment  having  gained  their  rear,  they 
retreated  with  precipitation.  Six  Americans  and  twenty-two 
Indians  were  slain  within  twenty  yards  of  the  spot  where 
Tecumseh  lay.  Most  of  the  severe  fighting  was  on  this 
ground.  But  seven  Americans  were  killed,  and  twenty-two 
wounded  in  the  action.  Of  the  British  regulars,  twelve  were 
killed,  and  twenty-two  wounded;  six  hundred,  including 
twenty-five  officers,  were  taken  prisoners.  Of  the  Indians, 
twenty-two  were  found  dead  on  the  field,  and  many  more 
killed  on  the  retreat.     Six  pieces  of  brass  artillery,  and  two 

*  General  Harrison's  letter  to  the  secretary  of  war. 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  2^1 

twenty-four  pounders  were  taken,  and  several  sunk  in  the 
river.  Of  the  brass  pieces,  three  were  of  those  taken  from 
the  British  in  the  revolutionary  war,  and  surrendered  by  Gen- 
eral Hull  at  Detroit.  Proctor  narrowly  escaped  leaving  his 
sword,  baggage,  and  papers,  in  possession  of  the  victors. 

The  fruits  of  this  victory  were  the  total  dispersion  of  the 
allied  British  and  Indian  forces,  who  had  for  more  than  a  year 
past  ravaged  the  north-western  frontier.  The  capture  of 
all  their  baggage,  provisions,  and  arms,  and  a  large  quantity 
of  military  stores  destined  to  supply  the  Indians,  and  the  re- 
storation of  Detroit  and  the  Michigan  territory.  Among  Proc- 
tor's papers  were  found  several  letters  from  British  agents 
among  the  Indians,  clearly  evincing  that  they  had  at  different 
times  since  the  peace  of  1783,  and  before  the  commencement 
of  the  present  war,  instigated  them  to  acts  of  hostility  against 
the  United  States.  Proctor  fled  to  the  Niagara  frontier,  and 
was  afterwards  tried  by  a  court  martial,  and  disgraced.  The 
brave  Kentuckians  had  now  in  their  power  the  very  authors 
and  instigators  of  the  massacres  of  their  brethren  at  the  river 
Raisin;  but,  two  noble  to  seek  revenge  On  a  fallen  foe,  they 
treated  them  with  the  humanity  and  kindness  due  to  prisoners 
of  war;  and,  on  their  return  safely  conducted  them  to  camp 
Ball  at  Chilicothe,  to  join  their  brethren  in  the  navy.  From 
the  second  to  the  fifth  of  October,  General  Harrison,  with  an 
army  of  three  thousand  five  hundred  men,  penetrated  the  wil- 
derness a  distance  of  eighty  miles;  overtook,  fought,  and  van- 
quished an  enemy,  his  equal  in  numbers  on  their  own  ground, 
and  returned  to  Detroit  by  the  9th;  an  expedition  for  success 
and  despatch  scarcely  equalled  in  the  annals  of  history. 

Effects  of  the  Victory.  This  victory  completely  broke  up 
and  dispersed  the  Indian  confederacy  of  the  north-west.  Most 
of  the  warriors  forsook  their  allies,  and  came  in  and  threw 
themselves  on  the  mercy  of  the  Americans.  The  wretched 
remains  of  the  hostile  tribes  were  in  a  forlorn  and  destitute 
condition.  The  winter  approaching,  and  they  and  their  fami- 
lies alike  destitute  oi  clothing,  and  provisions,  or  the  mean^ 

31 


242  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  Chap.  11^ 

of  obtaining  them.  In  this  situation  the  Americans  extended 
the  hand  of  charity,  and  suppHed  them  with  necessaries  during 
the  winter. 

The  British  poHcy  of  uniting  the  Indians  in  a  war  of  ex- 
termination against  the  frontier  settlements  of  the  United 
States,  was  not  only  barbarous  and  inhuman  in  itself,  but  ab- 
solutely abortive  in  its  effects.  The  objects  of  the  British 
government  were,  to  prevent  the  increase  of  the  settlements 
in  the  western  country,  to  render  the  war  so  distressing  to  the 
border  inhabitants,  as  to  induce  a  submission  to  their  views, 
and  to  increase  and  extend  their  power  among  the  Indian 
tribes.  Precisely  the  reverse  of  all  these  effects  were  pro- 
duced by  the  events  of  this  campaign.  The  Indian  war  laid 
open  to  the  view  of  land  speculators,  the  fine  country  occu- 
pied by  the  Indians,  and  conducted  an  emigration  to  the 
western  states  immediately  after  the  close  of  the  war,  unequal- 
led at  any  former  period.  The  cruelties  practised  by  the 
savages  in  their  incursions,  rendered  the  war  popular,  and 
nerved  every  arm  in  defence  of  the  country ;  and  the  final 
dereliction  of  their  cause  by  Proctor,  gave  a  fatal  blow  to 
British  influence  among  the  savages.  The  frontiers  have  en- 
joyed greater  security  since  the  defeat  of  Proctor,  than  at 
any  former  period,  and  the  influence  of  the  American  govern- 
ment over  the  Indians  within  their  limits,  has,  in  a  great 
measure,  superseded  the  British. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Montreal. — Back  Passage  from  Montreal  to  the  Upper  Lakes. — British 
Naval  Force  on  Lake  Ontario. — American,  under  Commodore  Chaun- 
cey. — Military  Force  destined  for  a  Descent  on  Montreal. — Expedi- 
tions agfainst  York. — Death  of  General  Pike. — Attack  on  Sackett's 
Harbour. — Capture  of  Fort  George. — British  retire  to  Burlington 
Heights. — Battle  at  Stoney  Creek. — Capture  of  Generals  Chandler 
and  Winder. — Battle  at  the  Beaver  Dams. — Capture  of  Colonel 
Boerstler's  Detachment. — Colonel  Scott's  Expedition  to  Burlington 
Heights  and  York. — General  Wilkinson  appointed  to  the  command  of 
the  Northern  Army. — Arrives  at  Sackett's  Harbour. — Makes  arrange- 
ments for  a  Descent  on  Montreal. — War  Department  removed  to 
Sackett's  Harbour. — Troops  embark  from  Fort  George  for  Grenadier 
Island. — Sailing  of  the  Flotilla  from  French  Creek. — Descent  on  the 
St.  Lawrence. — Pursuit  of  the  British. — Battle  at  Williamsburgh. — 
General  Covington  killed. — Flotilla  arrives  at  the  foot  of  the  Long 
Sault. — General  Hampton  refuses  to  join  the  Erpedition. — Corres- 
pondence between  him  and  General  Wilkinson. — Expedition  aban- 
doned.— Army  go  into  Winter- Quarters  at  French  Mills. — General 
Hampton's  advances  to  Chatauguay. — Returns  to  Plattsburgh. — Ver- 
mont Militia  called  out  by  the  War  Department  to  guard  Plattsburgh. 
— Ordered  to  return  by  Governor  Chittenden. — Causes  of  the  failure 
of  the  Expedition. — Defence  of  the  Niagara  Frontier  intrusted  to 
General  M'Clure  and  the  New- York  Militia. — Evacuation  of  Fort 
George  and  burning  of  Newark. — Fort  Niagara  taken. — Massacre. — 
Burning  of  the  Niagara  Frontier. — Militia  retire  to  Batavia. — Gov- 
ernor Prevost's  Proclamation. 

Montreal.  The  conquest  of  the  Canadas  was  avowedly 
the  main  object  of  the  military  operations  in  the  north.  Que- 
bec, strongly  fortified  by  nature  and  art,  and  accessible  by  sea 
for  the  largest  ships  of  war,  was  considered  unassailable  ;  but 
Montreal,  and  the  whole  country  to  the  north-west,  was  deem- 
ed an  easy  acquisition.  The  latter  city  stands  on  the  south 
side  of  an  island  of  the  same  name  in  the  river  St.  Lawrence, 
thirt)^  miles  long  and  ten  broad,  five  hundred  miles  from  the 


244  HISTORY  OF  TilE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  U^ 

sea  at  the  head  of  ship  navigation  ;  and  is  the  most  populous 
and  commercial  city  of  British  America,  containing  twenty 
thousand  inhabitants.  All  the  merchandise  with  which  the 
north-western  country  is  supplied,  is  here  deposited.  The 
western  Indians,  the  inhabitants  of  Upper  Canada,  and  the 
mhabitants  of  the  United  States  bordering  on  the  lakes,  are 
supplied  from  this  source  ;  their  returns  are  also  deposited 
here,  from  whence  they  are  shipped  to  various  European  mar- 
kets. From  this  point  the  British  north-west  company,  one 
of  the  richest,  and  most  profitable  establishments  in  Europe, 
earry  on  their  immense  traffic  with  the  natives  of  the  north- 
west, and  extend  their  enterprises  to  the  borders  of  the  Pa- 
cific. Thev  employ  several  thousand  men,  and  afford  a  great 
market  for  British  manufactures.  A  large  proportion  of  this 
intercourse  is  carried  on  by  means  of  the  back  passage  from 
Montreal  to  the  upper  lakes. 

Back  Passage  to  the  Upper  Lakes,  Near  the  south-western 
extremity  of  the  island,  the  Ottaway,  or  Grand  river,  enters  the 
St.  Lawrence  from  the  north-west.  The  merchandise  des- 
tined for  lake  Huron  and  the  regions  beyond,  is  put  up  in 
packages  of  about  one  hundred  weight  each,  and  together 
nrrth  the  necessary  provisions,  are  put  on  board  birch  canoes, 
which  carry  ten  men  each,  with  their  provisions,  and  sixty 
packages  of  merchandise.  In  the  month  of  May  annually, 
large  flotillas  of  this  species  of  water  craft  leave  Montreal, 
enter  the  Ottaway,  and  proceed  on  their  voyage  to  the  upper 
lakes.  Fifteen  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ottaway,  the 
navigation  is  interrupted  by  rapids,  for  the  distance  of  ten 
miles.  At  the  foot  of  these,  the  canoes  are  unloaded,  and 
their  contents  transported  on  men's  shoulders  this  distance, 
and  the  canoes  towed  up  the  current  with  great  labour. 
After  passing  these  rapids,  the  stream  is  tranquil  and  of  easy 
navigation  for  sixty  miles,  where  the  voyagers  reach^the  portage 
of  Chaudiere.  Here  is  a  cascade  of  twenty  feet,  around  which 
he  canoes  with  all  their  lading,  are  transported  on  men's 
shoulders.   Thence  to  the  portage  des  Chenes,  the  passage  is 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  245 

short.  There  are  two  smaller  portages  in  the  distance  of 
eighteen  miles  to  the  grand  Columet  where  the  cm-rent  is  again 
tranquil.  There  are  four  other  portages  on  this  river  where 
the  voyagers  have  to  transport  all  their  lading  and  canoes  on 
their  shoulders,  before  they  arrive  to  the  mouth  of  the  Petit 
Reviere,  which  falls  into  the  Ottaway  from  the  south-west, 
four  hundred  miles  from  Montreal.  Here  the  voyagers  must 
turn  off  to  the  left  and  ascend  this  river,  sixty-five  miles,  in- 
terrupted by  thirteen  portages,  to  the  high  lands  which  divide 
the  waters  of  lake  Huron,  from  those  of  the  Ottaway.  Across 
these  heights  is  a  land  carriage  of  six  miles,  where  the  voy- 
agers have  to  transport  their  canoes,  packages,  and  provisions, 
to  lake  Nipissing ;  this,  without  the  aid  of  beasts  of  burden, 
is  a  work  of  time  and  immense  labour ;  the  men  having  to 
travel  the  ground  from  twenty  to  thirty  times  to  get  all  their 
baggage  across.  This  lake  is  thirty-six  miles  long  and 
fifteen  broad,  around  whieh  the  voyagers  must  coast  until 
they  reach  the  entrance  of  French  river,  which  flows  from 
this  lake  to  Huron,  a  distance  of  eighty  miles.  The  navi- 
gation is  interrupted  on  this  river  by  five  portages.  Hav- 
ing reached  lake  Huron,  the  men,  provisions,  and  mer- 
chandise are  transported  in  small  vessels  across  the  lake  to 
fort  St.  Josephs,  at  the  foot  of  the  straits  of  St.  Marie,  by 
which  the  waters  of  lake  Superior  communicate  with  Hu- 
ron. The  navigation  of  these  straits  is  interrupted  by  falls. 
From  fort  St.  Joseph's  the  merchandise  which  has  been  thus 
transported  is  distributed  in  various  directions  to  the  Indians 
of  the  north-west,  their  furs  collected,  and  transported  by  the 
same  route  to  Montreal. 

The  merchandise  destined  for  tke  more  southern  regions 
is  transported  in  boats  up  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Kingston, 
whence  it  is  shipped  in  lake  vessels  to  Queenston  at  the  foot 
of  the  Niagara  cataract,  thence  transported  by  land  around 
the  falls  and  re-shipped  on  lake  Erie.  Montreal  is  the  em- 
porium of  this  commerce;  and  the  nation  possessing  it  of 
course  commands  all  the  country  on  the  lakes  above.     The 


246  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  t2, 

occupation  of  this  city,  which  would  necessarily  draw  with 
it  the  possession  of  Upper  Canada,  formed  the  principal 
object  of  the  campaign  of  1813,  on  the  Canada  border. 

SackeWs  Harbour.  As  a  previous  step,  the  command 
of  lake  Ontario  was  absolutely  essential.  For  this  pur- 
pose, Sackett's  Harbour,  on  the  east  end  ot  the  lake  near 
its  outlet,  was  selected  as  a  naval  depot.  This  harbour 
lies  at  the  mouth  of  the  Black  river,  nearly  opposite  to, 
and  thirty  miles  distant  from  Kingston,  the  principal  mili- 
tary and  naval  station  of  the  British  on  the  lake.  The  har- 
bour has  a  sufficient  depth  of  water,  is  well  sheltered,  and 
capable  of  defence,  and  is  one  hundred  and  seventy  miles 
from  Albany,  from  whence  supphes  were  to  be  drawn  for  the 
naval  and  military  operations  of  the  campaign. 

Ontario  Fleet,  The  British  had  a  considerable  military 
force  at  Kingston,  and  a  respectable  navy  under  the  command 
of  Sir  James  Yeo,  late  commander  of  the  frigate  Southampton, 
an  experienced,  intelligent,  and  judicious  officer.  Commo- 
dore Isaac  Chauncey,  an  officer  of  experience  and  high  repu- 
tation, was  selected  by  the  American  government,  for  the 
command  on  this  station,  and  arrived  at  the  harbour  with  a 
large  body  of  sailors  and  marines  on  the  6th  of  October,  1812. 
At  this  time  the  United  States  had  but  one  vessel,  the  brig 
Oneida,  on  the  lake.  The  British  force  consisted  of  six 
vessels,  mounting  eighty  guns.  Chauncey  immediately  pur- 
chased all  the  merchant  ships  which  were  obtainable,  and 
fitted  them  for  the  naval  service.  By  the  8th  of  November, 
he  had  obtained  and  equipped  a  sufficient  force  to  appear  on 
the  lake,  and  sailed  with  the  Oneida  and  six  schooners,  in 
quest  of  his  antagonist.  On  the  10th  he  fell  in  with  the  Royal 
George,  the  largest  of  the  enemy's  ships,  chased  her  into 
Kingston  harbour,  and  captured  two  schooners.  On  the  12th 
he  took  the  transport  sloop  Elizabeth,  chased  the  Earl  Moira 
into  Kingston,  and  blockaded  that  harbour  until  the  7th  of 
December,  when  the  ice  obliged  him  to  return  to  Sackett's 
Harbour,  and  suspend  further  operations  until  spring.     On 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  247 

the  26th  of  November,  the  ship  Madison  was  launched  in 
fifty-five  days  from  the  time  of  laying  her  keel;  and  the  ship 
General  Pike  was  built,  launched,  and  equipped  in  one  hun- 
dred days. 

At  the  opening  of  the  spring  of  1813,  the  American  fleet 
had  the  complete  ascendency  on  the  lake.  Chauncey  was 
able  to  confine  every  British  ship  to  the  harbour  of  Kingston. 
A  respectable  military  force  of  six  thousand  men,  composing 
the  army  of  the  north,  had  been  organized  under  General 
Dearborn  for  the  conquest  of  Canada  :  the  neighbouring  mih- 
tia  might  be  called  in,  to  any  amount,  to  supply  any  defi- 
ciency of  numbers  in  the  regular  army;  and  to  guard  the 
harbour  in  their  absence.  No  reinforcements  had  or  could 
arrive  for  the  protection  of  Montreal  until  June.  Under 
these  circumstances  a  descent  upon  that  city  early  in  the 
season,  must  have  been  attended  with  undoubted  success. 
Unfortunately  this  favourable  state  of  things  escaped  the  no- 
tice of  the  officer  at  the  head  of  the  war  department,  and  the 
energies  of  the  nation  were  directed  to  a  much  less  important 
and  less  attainable  object. 

Capture  of  York.  On  the  23d  of  April,  General  Dearborn 
embarked  at  Sackett's  Harbour,  with  sixteen  hundred  men  on 
an  expedition  against  York,  at  the  head  of  the  lake,  leaving 
the  defence  of  the  harbour,  with  all  the  stores,  public  property,, 
and  a  new  ship  on  the  stocks,  to  a  handful  of  regulars,  under 
Colonel  Backus,  and  the  neighbouring  militia  not  then  ar- 
rived. It  seemed  to  have  escaped  the  observation  of  the 
commanding  general,  that  the  enemy  would  probably  in  his 
absence,  strike  at  an  important  post  thus  left  uncovered.  On 
the  27th,  General  Dearborn  with  the  fleet,  arrived  before  the 
town  of  York  and  immediately  commenced  a  disembarkation, 
The  commanding  general  intrusted  the  further  prosecution  of 
the  expedition  to  General  Pike,  and  remained  on  board  the 
fleet.  To  oppose  their  landing  a  corps  of  British  grenadiers, 
the  Glengary  fencibles,  and  several  bodies  of  Indians,  appear- 
ed at  diflferent  points  on  the  shore.    At  eight  o'clock  the  troops 


248  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATB  WAR.  Chap.  12. 

commenced  their  landing,  three  miles  westward  of  the  town, 
and  a  mile  and  a  half  distant  from  the  British  works.  The 
place  first  designated  for  their  landing,  was  a  cleared  field 
near  the  site  of  the  old  French  fort  Tarento;  but  the  wind 
was  high  and  prevented  the  first  division  from  landing  at  that 
place,  and  also  prevented  the  ships  from  covering  their  disem- 
barkation. The  riflemen  under  Major  Forsythe  first  landed 
under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  enemy.  Major  General  Sheaffe 
had  collected  his  whole  force,  consisting  of  about  seven  or 
eight  hundred  regulars  and  militia,  with  a  hundred  Indians,  to 
oppose  their  landing,  and  commanded  in  person.  Major 
Forsythe,  although  supported  by  the  other  troops  as  promptly 
as  possible,  was  obhged  to  sustain  alone  a  sharp  conflict  with 
the  whole  British  for«e  for  nearly  half  an  hour.  As  soon  as 
General  Pike  had  effected  his  landing  with  about  eight  hun- 
dred men,  the  British  retreated  to  their  works.  The  main 
body  of  the  Americans  landed  and  formed  at  old  fort  Tarento, 
and  quickly  advanced  through  a  thick  wood  to  an  open 
ground  near  the  British  works.  The  first  battery  was  car- 
ried by  assault,  and  the  columns  moved  on  towards  the  main 
works ;  when  the  head  of  the  column  had  arrived  within  about 
sixty  rods,  a  tremendous  explosion  took  place  from  a  maga- 
zine prepared  for  that  purpose,  and  killed  and  wounded  one 
hundred  men.  General  Pike  was  mortally  wounded  by  a 
stone  which  was  thrown  up  by  the  explosion,  and  struck  him 
on  the  breast.  He  was  immediately  conveyed  on  board  the 
commodore's  ship,  and  soon  expired.  After  the  confusion 
which  these  events  necessarily  occasioned,  the  American 
troops  proceeded  to  the  town,  and  agreed  to  a  capitulation 
with  the  commanding  officers  of  the  Canadian  militia,  by 
which  it  was  stipulated,  that  all  the  public  property  should  be 
delivered  to  the  Americans,  the  militia  surrendered  prisoners 
of  war,  and  private  property  protected.  Immediately  after 
the  explosion,  General  Sheaffe,  with  the  regulars,  retreated 
out  of  the  reach  of  the  American  arms.  Two  hundred  and 
fifty  militia,  and  fifty  marines  and  regulars  were  included  in  the 


i813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATK  WAK.  249 

capitulation.  The  American  loss  was  fourteen  killed  in 
battle,  and  (ifty-two  by  the  explosion ;  twenty-three  wounded 
in  battle,  and  one  hundred  and  eighty  by  the  explosion.  One 
large  vessel  on  the  stocks,  and  a  quantity  of  naval  stores  were 
set  fire  to  by  the  British,  and  consumed ;  but  more  naval 
stores  were  taken  by  the  Americans  than  could  be  carried 
away.  The  public  buildings  for  military  use,  and  the  raili- 
.tary  stores  which  could  not  be  removed,  were  destroyed. 
York  was  the  seat  of  government  for  Upper  Canada,  and  the 
iprincipal  depot  for  the  Niagara  frontier,  and  Detroit.  Gen- 
eral Sheaffe's  baggage  and  papers  were  taken.  In  the  gov- 
ernment hall  a  human  scalp  was  found,  suspended  over  the 
speaker's  chair,  with  the  mace  and  other  emblems  of  power. 
This  building  was  burned,  contrary  to  the  orders  of  the  Ameri- 
can general.* 

Having  accomplished  the  object  of  the  expedition  at  York, 
the  fleet  proceeded  immediately  to  Niagara,  landed  the  troops 
at  the  fort,  and  returned  to  Sackett's  Harbour. 

Attacjc  on  SackeWs  Harbour,,  The  defenceless  situation  of 
this  post,  after  the  sailing  of  the  fleet  and  troops  for  the  head 
of  the  lake,  did  not  escape  the  British  military  and  naval  com- 
manders at  Kingston.  On  the  29th  of  May,  the  post  was 
attacked  by  the  combined  land  and  naval  forces  under  Sir 
George  Prevost,  and  Sir  James  Yeo.  General  Brown,  of 
the  New- York  militia,  had  been  requested  by  General  Dear- 
born, previously  to  his  leaving;the  harbour,  to  take  command 
at  this  post.  He  arrived  on  the  28th;  and  on  the  same  day 
Lieutenant  Chauncey,  in  one  of  the  look-out  schooners,  came 
in  from  the  lake,  and  gave  notice  of  the  approach  of  the 
,enemy  from  Kingston.  Alarm  guns  were  immediately  fired 
from  the  posts,  to  give  .notice  and  bring  in  the  militia.  Expect- 
ing ^  landing  at  the  peninsula  called  Horse  Island,  Colonel 
Mills,  with  the  militia  and  Albany  volunteers,  formed  the  first 
line  to  receive  the  enemy  at  the  water-edge.     They  were 


*  General  Dearborn's  letter  to  the  secretai7  of  yvtw 

32 


S50  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  12 

ordered  to  lie  under  cover,  and  reserve  their  fire  until  the 
enemy  had  approached  so  near,  that  every  shot  might  take 
efFect.  The  regulars,  under  Colonel  Backus,  formed  the 
second  line;  the  defence  of  fort  Tompkins  was  intrusted  to 
the  regular  artillerists,  and  volunteers;  and  that  of  Navy 
Point,  and  the  barracks  and  stores,  to  Lieutenant  Chauncey, 
who  was  ordered  in  case  of  defeat,  to  destroy  the  public 
stores,  and  retire  to  the  south  side  of  the  bay.  On  the  27th, 
and  during  the  nights  of  the  28th  and  29th,  considerable 
bodies  of  militia  arrived  from  the  adjacent  country  ;  these 
were  ordered  to  the  water-side,  to  unite  with  the  first  line 
under  Colonel  Mills,  whose  command  now  amounted  to  five 
hundred.  At  break  of  day  on  the  29th,  the  enemy's  fleet 
appeared  in  a  line  between  Horse  Island  and  Stony  Point, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  thirty-three  large  boats  filled  with 
troops,  put  off  under  cover  of  a  heavy  fire  from  the  gun-boats. 
On  their  approach,  the  militia  rose  and  fired  without  orders, 
and  too  soon  to  produce  any  important  effect,  and  immediately 
fled.  Colonel  Mills  was  slain  in  attempting  to  rally  them- 
General  Brown  succeeded  in  rallying  about  one  hundred, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  M'Nutt,  and  fell  upon  the 
rear  of  the  enemy's  left  flank.  The  British  advanced  through 
a  thick  wood  to  the  rear  of  the  village;  here  they  were  met 
by  Colonel  Backus,  with  the  regulars,  and  such  mihtia  as 
could  be  brought  up,  and  a  severe  conflict  ensued.  The  contest 
lasted  an  hour  and  a  half,  when  the  British  retreated  to  their 
boats,  and  re-embarked  without  being  molested.  Lieutenant 
Chauncey,  being  informed  that  the  British  had  gained  posses- 
sion of  the  town,  agreeable  to  his  orders  in  such  an  event,  set 
fire  to  the  store  houses  and  barracks,  by  which  all  the  naval 
and  military  stores,  and  provisions  collected  for  the  service, 
were  consumed.  The  American  loss  w^as  twenty-one  killed, 
and  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  wounded  and  missing. 
Colonel  Backus  was  mortally  wounded,  and  died  soon  after 
the  battle.  The  British  left  twenty-nine  killed,  and  twenty- 
tltree  wounded  on  the  field,  and  thirty- five  prisoners,  besides 


WnS.  HBimtT  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  251 

ihe  kdicd  awi  wooaded  in  the  boats  before  ktnduig,  and  wlnt 
dKf  took  from  die  field  od  tiieir  retreat.  Pre^ioQS  to  Ibis 
>i— Kului'i  Chrttiji  bad  retivned  iinom  YorL,  aad 
at  dw  kailKMr  the  avai&  of  that  expecfitioo,  aad 
foae  Indt  to  Niagaia  wkh  reaifivc^Dents.  Prom  the  Sad 
of  April  to  the  ^th  of  May,  tlus  ampoitant  dep^t,  on  the  pre- 
soratioo  of  irhich  the  military  aad  oaval  operations  of  the 
BHist  esseotialiT  depend,  was  left  uncorered.  The 
Tii^lttoa  might  at  any  tiaw  icadi  it  bi  a  single 
day,  with  a  saperior  force,  and  accomp&sh  its  destnictioo. 
The  kiGS  of  these  steRS  was  of  the  iMxe  cotts»|Kfice  to  the 
Ameficaas,  as  the  dbfaiice  from  Albany  was  such,  that  they 
not  be  again  seasonably  replaced.  This  loss  very 
aftcted  the  fiiCnre  opecatioiis  of  the  campaigo,  and  can 
only  be  ascribed  to  an  aBbicioo  to  gam  eclat,  by  striking  at 
an  imguaided  point  of  the  enemy^s  tines,  at  the  expense  oT 
the  real  objects  of  the  war. 

While  these  events  were  taking  place  at  SackeU's  Har- 
bour, operations  of  some  importance  were  going  on  at 
the  head  c^the  lake.  The  main  army  under  Geoeial  Dear- 
born, by  at  Niagara  from  the  8th  to  the  37th  of  May, 
when  Commodore  QnoDcey  havii^  retoroed  firam  the 
harixMB'  with  reinforcements,  a  descent  was  made  upon  foci 
George.  On  the  morning  of  the  J7th,  the  lighttroops  under 
OJooel  Scott,  and  Major  Forsyth,  supported  by  Colonel 
Porter's  light  aitiUay,  and  General  Lewis's  divisioo,  crossed 
the  lirer,  a.^  attacked  the  fon  ^  they  were  soon  followed  by 
Gencnis  Boyd^s^Qandlcr's,  and  wiadeHs  brigades.  Com- 
modore ChaoBcey  had  made  the  most  jodicioQs  anaagemeot^ 
with  his  small  ships,  to  silence  the  enemy's  batlcfies  at  the 
point  of  hadii^«  The  descent  was  warmly  contested  at  the 
water's  c<%e  by  the  British;  bat  they  were  soon  compelled  to 
give  way,  and  the  landing  was  completed. 

CmptMTt  9f  FtI  George,  The  American  batteries  somi 
succeeded  in  rendenng  the  fort  oMeaabte.  The  British  troopc, 
retiring  from  the  lirer  bank,  le-enlered  the  fort,  fired  a  few 
shot,  and  then  set  foe  to  the  ma^a^ne  aiid  mored  off  io  (^f- 


252  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  1^, 

fcrent  directions.  Of  the  British  regular  troops,  ninety  were 
killed,  one  hundred  and  sixty  wounded,  and  one  hundred 
taken  prisoners.  The  Americans  lost  seventeen  killed,  and 
sixty-five  wounded.  On  the  28th,  the  garrison  at  Erie  aban- 
doned that  fort,  blew  up  the  magazine,  and  retreated  towards 
the  head  of  the  lake,  and  the  Americans  took  possession  the 
same  day.  The  capture  of  fort  George  being  accomplished, 
General  Dearborn  removed  his  head-quarters  to  that  post. 
The  British  garrisons  on  the  Niagara  peninsula  retired,  con- 
centrated their  forces,  and  made  a  stand  on  Burhngton  heights, 
rieair  the  head  of  the  lake,  forty  miles  west  of  fort  George. 
Generals  Chandler  and  Winder,  with  large  detachments,  went 
in  pursuit  of  them ;  and  on  the  6th  of  June  the  advance  of 
the  Americans  had  a  skirmish  with  their  outposts,  and  retired 
behind  Stoney  creek.  "Here  they  encamped  for  the  night ; 
the  light  infantry,  and  part  of  the  rifle  corps,  formed  the  right 
^ing  •  the  artillery  the  centre  ;  the  infantry,  and  the  residue  of 
the  riflemen,  the  left ;  and  the  cavalry  the  rear.  In  this  posi- 
tion, the  troops,  aimounting  to  a  thousand  men,  rested  on  their 
arms* 

Battle  of  Stoney  Creek,  At  two  in  the  morning,  the  BritisLr 
appeared  in  force,  drove  in  the  pickets,  and  attacked  the? 
main  body.  The  fire  continued  without  intermission  for  an 
hoiir.  The  British  broke  through  the  centre  and  gained  the 
rear  of  the  artillery.  General  Chandler  supposing  them  t6 
be  Americans,  rode  in  among  them,  and  while  issuing  his  or- 
ders was  made  prisoner,  disarmed,  and  conveyed  to  the  Brit- 
ish rear.  General  Winder  coming  up  to  his  support,  was 
inade  prisoner  a  few  minutes  afterwards.  After  a  conflict  of 
iftri  hbUl^  in  a  dark  night,  when  it  was  impossible  to  distinguish 
friends  from  foes,  the  Americans  retreated  behind  Forty  Mile 
creek,  ten  miles  in  the  rear  of  the  battle  ground,  with  the  loss 
i)f  several  pieces  of  artillery.  Towards  evening  of  the  same 
day,  Sir  Jaines  arrived  with  his  fleet  a  mile  from  shore,  abreast 
of  where  the  Americans  were  encamped.  The  troop.^  again 
W  on  their  arms  durinig  the  night  expecting  another  attack. 


iill  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  2S3 

The  next  morning  they  struck  their  tents,  and  prepared  to  re- 
treat. The  boats  containing  their  baggage  and  camp  equip- 
age, lay  becalmed  on  the  beach*  Sir  James  towed  in  a  large 
Schooner,  and  opened  a  galling  fire  upon  them,  but  the  artil- 
lery from  the  shore  soon  compelled  him  to  retire,  and  the  bag- 
gage was  re-landed*  The  Indians  now  appeared  in  large 
bodies  on  the  brow  of  the  mountain,  and  commenced  a  firing 
on  the  camp  ;  but  were  soon  dispersed  by  a  detachment  un- 
der Colonel  Chrystie*  A  flag  was  sent  in  by  the  commanding 
officers  of  the  land  and  naval  forces,  demanding  a  surrender 
of  the  army,  stating,  that  surrounded  as  they  were  by  a  fleet 
m  front,  the  land  forces  on  their  flanks,  and  the  Indians  in 
their  rear,  it  was  impossible  to  effect  a  retreat*  The  reply 
Was,  that  the  demand  was  too  extravagant  to  merit  an  answer* 
The  next  morning  the  baggage  and  camp  equipage  was  again 
put  on  board  the  boats,  and  the  army  commenced  their  retreat 
to  fort  George.  The  boats  were  overtaken  atjd  attacked  by 
an  armed  schooner,  and  twelve  of  them  destroyed.  The 
Canadian  militia  and  Indians  hung  on,  and  harassed  the 
flanks  and  rear  of  the  army  until  evening,  when  they  arrived 
iat  the  fort,  with  the  loss  of  the  two  commanding  generals, 
femd  the  principal  part  of  their  artillery  and  baggage.  The 
British  troops  immediately  occupied  the  ground  they  had 
left. 

On  the  23d  of  June,  another  expedition,  equally  injudicious, 
and  more  disastrous  in  its  result,  was  directed  by  the  Ameri- 
can general. 

Battle  of  the  Beaver  Dams.  Colonel  Boerslter  was  de* 
tached  from  fort  George,  with  670  men,  to  the  Beaver  Dams, 
on  the  heights  ten  miles  westerly  of  Qucenston,  to  attack  a 
party  of  the  British,  collected  there  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
curing provisions,  and  harassing  such  of  the  inhabitants  as 
they  considered  friendly  to  the  United  States*  But  this  de- 
tachment was  unfortunately  much  inferior  to  the  force  they 
were  sent  to  attack,  and  no  supporting  detachment  was  or^ 
dered  out  to  their  assistance*     At  eis:ht  o'clock,  in  the  morn- 


254  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  12. 

ing  of  the  second  day  of  their  march,  when  within  about  two 
miles  of  the  place  of  their  destination,  they  fell  into  an  am- 
buscade ;  but  having  succeeded  in  repulsing  the  enemy,  and 
gaining  a  cleared  field,  they  sent  to  fort  George,  a  distance 
of  fifteen  miles,  for  reinforcements  ;  before  any  arrived  they 
were  again  attacked  by  a  much  superior  force,  and  the  whole 
detachment  captured. 

Expedition  to  Burlington  and  York.  On  the  28th  of  July, 
another  expedition,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Scott, 
against  the  British  post  on  Burlington  heightSj  embarked  on 
board  the  fleet  at  fort  George,  and  proceeded  to  the  head  of 
Burlington  bay.  On  the  31st,  they  landed  on  a  point  which 
separates  the  bay  from  the  lake,  and  reconnoitered  the  British 
position  ;  finding  it  protected  on  three  sides  by  a  creek,  and 
defended  in  front  by  heavy  batteries,  on  an  eminence  out  of 
the  reach  of  guns  from  the  shipping,  they  did  not  deem  it 
prudent  to  make  an  attack,  and  immediately  re-embarked. 
On  their  return  they  put  into  York,  burnt  the  barracks  and 
public  stores,  and  brought  off  one  piece  of  ordnance,  and  a 
large  quantity  of  flour. 

After  the  destruction  of  the  American  naval  stores  at  Sack- 
ett's  Harbour,  Sir  James,  by  extraordinary  exertions,  and  the 
addition  of  two  new  ships,  had  his  fleet  in  a  situation  in  which 
he  ventured  to  appear  on  the  lake.  On  the  7th  of  August, 
he  appeared  before  fort  George,  where  Commodore  Chauncey 
lay  at  anchor  with  his  fleet;  the  latter  immediately  went  out, 
and  in  a  gale  which  happened  on  the  night  of  the  8th,  two  of 
his  schooners  upset,  and  all  on  board  except  sixteen  perished. 
On  the  10th,  he  had  a  skirmish  with  Sir  James,  in  which  two 
of  his  schooners  were  taken.  After  a  running  fight  for  some 
hours,  both  parties  seemed  willing  to  avoid  a  decisive  contest, 
and  separated.  In  this  manner  terminated  the  operations  of 
the  American  forces  on  lake  Ontario,  under  the  direction  of 
General  Dearborn.  None  of  the  important  objects  of  the 
campaign  had  been  effected ;  severe  and  heavy  losses  had 
been  sustained,  and  the  only  favourable  time  for  a  descent  on 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  255 

Montreal  had  gone  by.  The  general  had  been  most  of  the 
time  an  invalid,  and  had  never  appeared  to  lead  his  troops  in 
any  expedition.  Plans  of  conquest  formed  at  Washington, 
without  adequate  information  of  the  condition  and  strength  of 
the  enemy,  and  intrusted  to  the  execution  of  feeble  and 
worn  out  commanders,  uniformly  proved  abortive.  Adminis- 
tration had  become  convinced  that  Montreal  was  not  to  be 
taken  under  the  auspices  of  General  Dearborn  ;  and  General 
Wilkinson  was  called  from  the  south' to  supersede  him.  On 
the  6th  of  July,  an  order  issued  from  the  war  department, 
directing  General  Dearborn  '*  to  retire  from  the  command  of 
his  military  district,  and  the  troops  within  the  same ;"  but  his 
rank,  pay,  and  establishment  were  continued  until  the  end  of 
the  war.  On  his  departure  from  fort  George,  he  received 
an  address  from  the  field  officers  of  his  army,  expressing  in 
flattering  terms  their  regret  at  his  removal,  their  confidence 
in  his  talents,  and  their  apprehensions  that  the  public  interest 
would  essentially  suffer  by  the  loss  of  his  services. 

General  Wilkinson  appointed  to  the  Command  of  the  North* 
General  Wilkinson  arrived  at  Washington  from  the  south,  on 
the  first  of  August,  and  havmg  spent  several  days  with  the 
cabinet  in  arranging  the  plan  of  operations  in  the  north,  pro^ 
ceeded  on  his  journey,  and  arrived  at  Sackett^s  Harbour  on 
the  2Gth.  The  force  placed  under  his  command,  and  des^ 
tined  to  act  upon  Canada,  consisted  of  the  right  wing  of  four 
thousand  at  Burlington,  Vermont,  under  the  command  of  Gen- 
eral Hampton ;  the  centre  at  Sackett's  harbour,  and  the  left 
under  General  Boyd,  at  fort  George.  The  whole  regular 
force,  including  the  reinforcements  that  soon  after  arrived, 
amounted  to  twelve  thousand.  In  addition  to  the  regular 
army,  the  militia  of  the  neighbouring  counties  might  be  called 
in  at  any  time,  in  such  numbers  as  might  be  necessary  for  the 
defence  of  the  posts,  or  to  augment  the  regular  army.  The 
British  forces  of  every  description,  opposed  to  Wilkinson, 
amounted  to  about  eight  thousand ;  the  left  at  Montreal  and 


ia$  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  12, 

adjacent  country  eastward  ;  the  centre  at  Kingston  ;  and  the 
right  on  the  Niagara  frontier. 

Preparations  for  the  Montreal  Expedition,  On  the  26  th  of 
August,  General  Wilkinson  called  a  council  of  war,  con- 
sisting of  all  his  general  oiBeers,  and  the  commander  of  the 
fleet,  at  which  a  descent  on  Montreal  was  advised.  The 
general  then  immediately  proceeded  to  the  Niagara,  to  make 
arrangements  to  withdraw  the  regular  troops  from  that  quar^ 
ter.  At  a  council  of  war,  composed  of  all  the  general  and 
field  officers  at  fort  George,  it  was  decided,  that  that  po3t 
should  be  abandoned,  and  the  forces  withdrawn  ;  this  opinion, 
however,  was  afterwards  changed,  and  the  defence  of  fort 
^George  and  the  Niagara  frontier  intrusted  to  General  M'Clure, 
;and  the  New-York  militia. 

To  superintend  the  operations,  and  ensure  success  to  the 
expedition.  General  Armstrong  arrived  on  the  5th  of  Septem^ 
Ber,  and  established  the  war  department  at  Sackett's  Harbour, 
^jreneral  Wilkinson  returned  with  the  main  body  from  fort 
jGeorge  on  the  4th  of  October,  and  established  his  head-quarr 
tsrs  at  the  harbour.  The  army  from  fort  George  rendez- 
voused at  Grenadier  Island,  at  the  outlet  of  the  lake,  where 
-:thcy  were  joined  by  the  troops  from  the  harbour,  prepared 
for  an  attack  on  Kingston,  or  a  descent  on  Montreal,  as  civr 
<:umstances  should  indicate.  At  a  council  of  war,  composed 
»of  Generals  Wilkinson,  Armstrong,  Lewis,  and  Brown,  the 
descent  of  the  St.  Lawrence  was  agreed  on.  The  commands 
Jng  general  afterwards  deemed  it  inexpedient  to  proceed^ 
leaving  so  large  a  force  at  Kingston  in  his  rear,  and  strongly 
remonstrated  against  the  measure ;  as  large  reinforcements 
had  then  arrived  at  Kingston,  which  would  enable  the  enemy 
to  hang  upon  the  rear  of  the  American  troops,  and  render  the 
expedition  hazardous.  The  secretary  of  war  determined  on 
the  descent,  and  ordered  the  expedition  to  proceed.  General 
Hampton,  with  his  army,  was  ordered  immediately  to  march 
for  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  form  a  junction  with  the  main  body. 
The  next  place  of  rendezvous,  before  the  final  sailing  of  the 


1^13.  HISTORY  OF  TWE  LATE  WAR.  25t 

flotilla  was  fixed  at  French  creek,  eighteen  miles  in  advance 
of  Grenadier  Island.  General  Brown  was  ordered  to  pro- 
ceed to  this  place  with  the  advance  of  the  army,  on  the  29tk 
of  October.  On  the  1st  and  2d  of  November,  he  was  attacked 
by  a  squadron  of  the  enemy's  ships,  which  were  repulsed  by 
Captain  M^Pherson's  artillery,  and  obliged  to  retire. 

Flotilla  enter  the  River.  On  the  3d,  General  Wilkinso*!*, 
with  the  rear  of  the  army,  arrived  at  the  general  rendezvous; 
and  on  the  oth  the  whole  flotilla,  consisting  of  three  hundred 
boats,  got  under  weigh,  and  covered  the  river  for  a  distance  of 
nearly  five  miles.  On  the  6th,  the  flotilla  proceeded  to  a  point 
within  three  miles  of  Prescott,  a  strong  place  on  the  Canadian 
bank,  which  commanded  the  passage  of  the  river.  Here  the 
powder,  and  fixed  ammunition,  and  all  the  troops,  except  as 
many  as  were  necessary  to  navigate  the  boats,  werr  debarked, 
and  proceeded  by  land  to  a  bay  two  miles  below  Prescott. 
The  flotilla  passed  the  fortress  under  cover  of  the  night,  with- 
out material  injury,  although  assailed  by  a  constant  fire  frotti 
the  garrison,  and  arrived  at  the  place  of  rendezvous  below 
by  ten  o''cIock  the  next  morning.  Here  the  troops  and  am- 
munition were  re-embarked. 

To  obstruct  the  American  flotilla  in  its  descent,  the  British  had 
strongly  fortified  Prescott,  and  established  batteries  at  every 
commanding  point  on  the  river.  A  large  detachment  of  troops 
from  Kingston  followed  the  course  of  the  flotilla  on  the  bank^ 
and  a  squadron  of  small  vessels  and  gun-boats  harassed  the 
rear.  On  the  7th,  Colonel  M'Comb  with  an  elite  corps  of 
twelve  hundred  men,  landed  on  the  Canadian  shore  to  dis- 
lodge the  British  from  their  posts  on  the  river.  On  the  8th, 
the  cavalry  which  had  come  down  by  land  on  the  American 
shore  as  far  as  Hamilton,  crossed  the  river;  and  General 
Brown,  with  a  large  additional  detachment,  landed  to  reinforce 
Colonel  M^Comb,  and  take  the  command.  On  the  10th,  at  the 
head  of  the  Long  Sault,  another  large  body  of  troops  were 
landed  on  the  Canadian  side,  under  the  command  of  General 
Boydj  to  protect  the  rear,  while  General  B^own  proceeded 


Uan  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chap,  rz 

forward  to  drive  the  British  from  their  positions  in  front.  At 
noon  the  latter  general  was  engaged  with  a  party  of  British 
near  a  block-house,  erected  on  the  Sauk  to  impede  the  de- 
scent. The  flotilla  hauled  in  shore  to  await  the  issue  of  Gen- 
eral Brown's  attack.  At  this  time  a  galley  and  several  gun- 
boats fjom  Prescott  appeared,  and  commenced  a  cannonade 
on  the  rear  of  the  flotilla.  The  slender  structure  of  the  boats 
rendered  them  incapable  of  resisting  the  long  twenty-fours  of 
the  galley,  which  threatened  their  destruction.  Two  eighteen 
pounders  were  immediately  landed  and  formed  a  battery  on 
^hore,  which  opened  upon  the  galley  and  ^un-boats,  and 
compelled  them  to  retire.  The  commanding  general  now 
received  advice  from  General  Brown,  that  he  had  succeeded 
in  dislodging  the  British  from  their  posts  on  the  river,  and  had 
arrived  at  the  foot  of  the  Sault. 

Battle  of  Williamsburgh,  On  the  11th,  while  the  flotilla 
were  preparing  to  enter  the  rapids,  the  British  appeared  in 
ft»rce  near  Williamsburgh,  in  the  rear  of  General  Boyd.  An 
attack  was  made  by  Swartwout's  brigade  on  the^British  ad- 
vanced guard,  who  were  driven  back  to  the  main  body. 
Swartwout  was  now  joined  by  Covington,  and  the  action  be- 
eame  general.  The  British  had  judiciously  chosen  their  ground 
amoRg  the  deep  ravines  which  intersected  an  extensive  plain, 
and  discharged  a  heavy  and  galling  fire  on  the  advancing 
-columns  of  the  Americans.  At  this  time  a  detachment  under 
Colonel  Cowles  from  the  first  brigade  entered  the  field,  and 
being  directed  to  attack  the  British  left  flank,  bravely  and 
promptly  executed  the  order.  The  brigade  first  engaged 
had  now  expended  their  ammunition,  and  were  ordered  to 
Retire;  this  so  disconcerted  the  line  as  to  render  it  necessary 
that  the  whole  should  fall  back.  The  infantry  retired  to  their 
boats  in  good  order,  and  re-embarked  ;  the  cavalry,  with  five 
pieces  of  artillery,  proceeded^down  the  river  on  the  Canadian 
shore  without  further  molestation.  General  Covington  re- 
ceived a  mortal  wound  in  the  body  while  leading  his  men  to 
the  charge,  and  fell  on  fhe  field.     The  American  loss  was 


1013.  mSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  ^59 

one  hundred  and  two  killed,  and  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
wounded.  Sixteen  hundred  Americans,  and  about  an  equal 
liumber  of  British  were  engaged.  The  victory  was  claimed 
by  both  the  combatants ;  the  British,  on  the  ground  that  they 
had  compelled  the  Americans  to  retreat  and  re-embark  with 
the  loss  of  a  part  of  their  artillery.  General  Wilkinson  claimed 
the  result  to  be  in  favour  of  his  troops,  as  the  British  were 
prevented  from  any  further  annoyance  of  the  expedition. 
On  the  12th,  the  flotilla  passed  the  Long  Sault  without  injury, 
and  joined  General  Brown,  at  Barnhart's,  near  Cornwall.  Gen- 
eral Wilkinson  now  considered  the  most  difficult  part  of  the 
expedition  accomplished,  and  waited  in  momentary  expecta- 
tion of  hearing  of  General  Hampton's  arrival  on  the  St.  Law- 
rence, when  with  their  united  forces  they  should  proceed  to 
accomplish  the  great  object  of  the  campaign.  On  entering 
Canada  on  the  6th  of  November,  the  commanding  general, 
according  to  custom  ,  had  issued  a  proclamation,  addressed  te 
its  inhabitants,  informing  them  that  the  ai-my  of  the  United 
Slates  which  he  had  the  honour  to  command,  invaded  their 
})rovinces  to  conquer,  and  not  to  destroy ;  to  subdue  the  forced 
of  his  Britannic  Majesty,  not  to  war  against  his  unoffending 
subjects  ;  that  those  who  quietly  remained  at  home,  should  be 
protected  in  their  persons  and  property,  but  those  found  in 
arms  must  necessarily  be  treated  as  enemies.  To  menace, 
the  general  remarked,  was  unj.ist;  to  seduce,  dishonourable  ; 
but  it  was  both  just  and  humane  to  place  these  alternatives 
before  them  ! 

Correspondence  behoeen  Wilkinson  and  Hampton,  On  thci 
sane  day  General  Wilkinson  wrote  to  General  Hampton,  in- 
forming him  that  he  was  then  in  the  river,  should  pass  Pres- 
cott  that  evening,  proceed  immediately  to  the  Isle  Perrot, 
bi-idge  the  narrow  inner  channel  between  that  island  and 
Montreal  with  his  scows,  and  obtain  a  foot-hold  on  the  island 
twenty-five  miles  above  the  city,  after  which  his  artillery  and 
bayonets  must  secure  a  triumph  or  provide  honourable  graves. 
After  giving  him  this  informiition,  he  ordered  him  to  form  an 


see  HlfiTORX  OF  TliE  luATE  VVAKv  Chaf.  li'. 

immediate  junction  with  his  whole  force.  On  the  12th  an 
express  arrived  from  General  Hampton,  stating  that  on  re- 
ceiving hisjconimunication  of  the  6th,  he  was  deeply  impress- 
ed with  the  responsibility  of  deciding  on  the  means  of  co- 
operation ;  that  the  idea  of  effecting  a  junction  at  St.  Regis, 
was  the  mostfpleasing,  as  being  the  most  immediate,  until  he 
came  to  the  disclosure  of  the  state  of  General  Wilkinson's 
provisions  ;  his  communication  further  stated  that  his  own 
men  had  not  more  with  them  than  they  could  carry  on  their 
backs  ;  that  the  road  v/as  in  many  places  blockaded,  and 
^ibatted,  aad  impassible  for  wheel  carriages  in  the  winter ; 
that  the  enemy  had  destroyed  every  thing  in  his  advance 
which  could  contribute  to  the  support  of  the  army  ;  that  his 
troops  were  raw,  sickly,  and  dispirited,  and  had  endured  fa- 
tigues equal  to  a  winter's  campaign ;  that  in  forming  the 
proposed  junction  under  such  circumstances,  he  should  weak- 
en rather  than  strengthen  the  main  body.  He  had  therefore 
determined  to  fall  baclTon  his  main  dep©t  at  Plattsburgh, 
keep  open  a  communication  with  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  in 
this  way  contribute  to  the  success  of  the  main  object. 

Expedition  abandoned.  However  sanguine  the  expectations 
of  the  secretary  at  war  and  the  commander  in  chief  might 
have  been  as  to  the  success  of  this  exjx^dition,  the  conduct 
of  General  Hampton  entirely  frustrated  them.  Unsupport- 
ed by  this  division,  General  Wilkinson  deemed  it  imprudent 
to  proceed  further ;  on  the  receipt  of  this  communication  he 
called  a  council  of  his  general  and  field  officers,  and  In 
pursuance^of  their  advice,  abandoned  the  expedition.  On 
the  13th,  the  troops  under  General  Brown  embarked  from  the 
Canadian  shore,  and  the  whole  army~^'ent  into  cantonements 
at  French  Mills,  on  Salmon  river,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  St. 
Lawrence. 
■  ^  General  Hampton'' s  Division.  The  army  under  General 
Hampton,  and  a  large  deput  of  provisions  and  military  stores 
had  been  collected  at  Plattsburgh,  for  the  express  purpose 
©f  rg-operaV«ng  upon  Montreal.     On  the  1 9th  of  Septemb(;r. 


1813.  HISlfORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAfi.  2S1 

the  army  was  put  in  motion  with  a  view  to  approach  the 
banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  route  first  attempted  was 
by  way  of  Champlain  to  Coghnawaga  on  the  St.  Lawrence. 
For  this  purpose  the  army  embarked  on  board  batteaux,  pre- 
ceded by  a  corps  of  light  infantry,  and  flanked  on  the  right 
by  the  squadron  on  the  lake,  and  advanced  as  far  as  Cham- 
j)lain.  Here  they  landed  and  marched  to  Odletown,  where 
they  learned  that  the  drought  was  such,  that  no  water  could 
be  obtained  on  that  route ;  and  the  army,  in  consequence 
thereof,  was  obliged  to  return  to  Chazy,  and  take  the  route  by 
Chateaugay.  On  the  25th  of  September,  the  army  encamped 
thirty  miles  in  advance  of  Plattsburgh,  and  about  the  same 
distance  from  the  St.  Lawrence,  on  the  Chateaugay  river, 
which  communicates  with  the  St.  Lawrence  near  Montreal, 
and  remained  on  this  ground  until  the  2 1st  of  October. 

From  his  head-quarters  at  this  place  on  the  4th  of  October, 
the  general  writes  to  the  secretary  ?t  war,  that  the  road  be- 
tween him  and  Plattsburgh  was  a  perfect  turnpike,  that  he  had 
and  could  have,  an  unlimited  supply  of  good  beef  cattle,  and 
that  the  quartermaster  general  would  arrive  in  the  course  of 
three  or  four  days,  with  a  supply  of  flour  and  ammrnition. 
On  the  morning  of  the  21st  of  October,  the  army  commenced 
a  movement  down  the  Chateaugay.  An  extensive  wood  of  leu 
or  twelve  miles  in  front,  blocked  up  with  felled  timber,  and 
covered  by  the  Indians  and  British  light  troops,  impeded  the 
progress  of  the  army.  General  Izard  was  detached  with  the 
light  troops  and  one  regiment  of  the  hne  to  turn  these  impedi- 
ments in  flank,  and  seize  on  the  open  country  below,  while 
the  army,  preceded  by  a  working  party,  advanced  in  a  more 
circuitous,  but  practicable  route;  the  measure  succeeded, 
and  the  main  body  reached  the  advanced  position  on  the 
Chateaugay  on  the  evening  of  the  22d.  The  23d  and  24th 
were  employed  in  getting  up  the  artillery  and  stores.  There 
was  now  in  front  of  the  army  seven  miles  of  open  country, 
nt  the  end  of  which  commenced  a  wood  of  some  miles  in  ex* 
lt?nt,  which  had  been  formed  into  an  entire  abattis,  filled 


262  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  12- 

with  a  suucession  of  wooden  breastworks,  the  rearmost  of 
whic^h,  was  supplied  with  ordnance.  The  Indians  and  light 
troops  were  placed  in  front,  and  a  heavy  force  in  the  rear. 
On  the  evening  of  the  25th,  Colonel  Purdy,  with  the  ligh 
troops,  was  detached  to  gain  the  rear  of  this  position, 
while  General  Izard  made  a  simultaneous  attack  in  front. 
Colonel  Purdy  was  misled  by  his  guides,  the  attempt  failed, 
and  the  advanced  corps  retired  with  the  loss  of  fifty 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  to  a  position  three  miles  in 
the  rear.  On  the  28th,  General  Hampton,  under  an  impres- 
sion that  Sir  George  Prevost  might  be  in  the  way  of  his  fur- 
ther advance,  fell  back  to  his  former  position  at  the  Chateaugay 
four  corners.  On  the  8th  November,  he  despatched  Colonel 
Atkinson  to  General  Wilkinson,  informing  him  that  he  should 
not  attempt  the  proposed  junction,  and  immediately  conducted 
his  army  back  to  Plattsburgh,  for  winter-quarters. 

Vermont  Militia*  To  guard  Plattsburgh  while  General 
Hampton  was  performing  these  operations,  the  third  brigade 
of  Vermont  militia  had  been  ordered  by  the  secretary  at  war 
to  that  point,  and  placed  under  the  command  of  an  officer  of 
the  Unjtcd  States.  This  order  was  executed  without  the  in- 
tcrvention.  of  the  captain  general  of  the  Vermont  militia. 
Governor  Chittenden,  viewing  this  as  a  violation  of  his  con- 
stitutional rights  over  the  militia,  on  the  10th  of  November 
issued  a  proclamation  declaring  the  proceeding  illegal,  and 
ordering  the  militia  immediately  to  return  and  hold  themselves 
in  readiness  for  the  defence  of  the  state,  subject  to  his  orders. 
General  Davis,  who  was  despatched  to  Plattsburgh  with  the 
governor's  orders,  was  arrested  by  the  commandant,  held  for 
some  time  as  a  prisoner,  and  prevented  from  executing  his 
commission.  On  the  15th  of  November,  twenty-two  of  the 
officers  of  the  brigade  published  an  address  to  the  governor 
in  answer  to  his  proclamation,  declaring  it  to  be  illegal,  and 
manifesting  their  determination  to  disregard  it.  The  brigade 
remained  on  duty  at  Plattsburgh  until  the  return  of  General 
Hampton  rendered  their  further  services  unnecessary. 


1813,  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  2B3 

On  mustering  General  Wilkinson's  army  at  the  French 
Mills,  on  the  1st  of  December,  its  effectives  amounted  to  eight 
thousand  ;  General  Hampton's  to  four  thousand.  The  British 
forces  at  Montreal,  Prescott,  and  Kingston,  did  not  exceed 
six  thousand.  General  Wilkinson  states,  that  on  the  4th  of 
November,  when  he  was  within  six  days'  march  of  the  city, 
the  garrison  at  Montreal  did  not  exceed  six  hundred  men  ; 
but  this  doubdess  was  greatly  underrating  their  force. 

General  Hampton,  having  placed  his  army  in  winter-quar- 
ters and  at  Plattsburgh,  and  furloughed  most  of  his  effective 
officers,  retired  to  the  south.  At  New-York  he  accidentally 
met  General  Harrison  at  the  same  hotel,  on  his  way  from  the 
north  to  the  seat  of  government.  General  Hampton,  with 
his  servants  and  suite,  appeared  in  the  style  and  character  of 
a  nobleman.  The  hero  of  the  west  was  in  a  plain  republi- 
can style,  with  a  single  servant,  and  not  distinguished  in 
his  appearance  from  the  other  guests.  As  soon  as  General 
Harrison's  arrival  was  known,  the  citizens  assembled  and 
made  an  elegant  entertainment  on  the  succeeding  day,  at 
which,  he  received  the  compliments  and  respects  due  to  his 
achievements.  General  Hampton  and  his  suite  remained  in 
the  city,  and  at  the  same  hotel,  unnoticed  and  uninvited. 
Public  sentiment  readily  distinguished  between  the  conquering 
hero,  and  the  general  who  by  his  inactivity  and  disobedience 
of  orders,  had  defeated  an  important  expedition.  The  same 
marked  distinction  between  the  two  generals  took  place  at 
Philadelphia  cind  Washington. 

No  event  could  have  more  disappointed  the  public  expec- 
tation, than  the  abandonment  of  the  Montreal  expedition. 
The  regular  troops  had  been  withdrawn  from  the  sea-board, 
and  the  Niagara  frontier  left  uncovered,  while  the  whole  en- 
ergies of  the  campaign  were  concentrated  in  this  object. 
To  ensure  success.  General  Wilkinson  had  been  called  from 
an  important  command  in  the  south  to  supersede  General 
Dearborn  in  the  chief  command.  Generals  Lewis,  Hampton, 
Boyd,  Brown,  Izard,   Covington,  and  Swartwout,  were  all 


2&i  HiSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Cuap.  12 

engaged  to  gather  laurels  in  this  field.  Every  exertion  had 
been  made  to  place  the  navy  on  the  lake  in  a  situation  to 
command  its  navigation  and  further  the  operations  of  the  ar- 
my ;  large  vessels  had  been  built  from  the  keel,  equipped,  and 
put  into  service  in  a  (c\v  weeks  ;  and  three  hundred  transport 
boats  had  been  prepared  for  the  descent  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
and  on  the  6th  of  November  the  entrance  of  that  river  was 
covered  for  the  distance  of  five  miles  with  this  formidable 
flotilla.  The  war  department  had  been  removed  from  the 
seat  of  government  to  Sackett's  Harbour,  that  this  important 
expedition  might  be  under  the  immediate  direction  of  the  ex- 
ecutive. From  the  speeches  in  congress  of  the  preceding 
winter,  on  the  subject  of  the  Canadian  conquest,  and  from 
the  great  preparations  which  had  been  making  through  the 
season,  all  doubts  respecting  the  final  result  had  been  re- 
moved; and  in  proportion  as  the  public  expectation  had  been 
raised  by  these  preparations,  in  the  same  proportion  was  the 
disappointment  when  this  formidable  armament  was  seen  to 
proceed  within  two  days'  march  of  its  object,  and  then  aban- 
don it  without  an  effort.  The  principal  agents  endeavoured  to 
throw  the  blame^on  each  other;  public  opinion  determined  that 
they  must  share  it  between  them,  and  in  this  manner  greatly 
lightened  its  burthen.  Several  of  them,  however,  lost  the 
public  confidence,  and  were  soon  afterwards  excused  from 
further  service. 

Causes  of  the  failure  of  the  Montreal  Expedition,  Among 
others  of  less  consequence  the  following  may  be  assign- 
ed as  the  principal  causes  of  the  failure.  Early  in  the 
season,  under  the  administration  of  General  Dearborn,  the 
pubhc  stores  at  Sackett's  Harbour,  the  sinews  of  the  cam- 
paign, were  injudiciously  exposed  and  lost,  and  the  only  op- 
portune season  for  the  expedition  wasted  in  useless  and  inef- 
ficient operations  on  the  Niagara  frontier.  From  the  20th  of 
August,  the  period  when  General  Wilkinson  assumed  the 
command,  seventy-six  days  were  suffered  to  elapse  before 
the  final  .sailing  of  the  flotilla.     This  delay,  as  it  enabled  the 


1613.  hIsTORY  of  the  LATE  WAli.  265 

enemy  to  strengthen  their  posts  on  the  river,  and  prepare  for 
defence,  and  as  it  rendered  the  descent  of  the  St.  Lawrence  at 
so  late  a  period  difficult,  very  much  hazarded  the  success  of  the 
enterprise.  Changing  the  commander  in  chief  at  a  critical 
period  of  the  campaign,  without  acquiring  any  additional  tal- 
ents, had  an  unfavourable  influence  upon  its  result.  The  es- 
tablishment of  the  war  department  at  Sackett's  Harbour, 
a  measure  in  itself  unusual,  and  very  questionable  as  to  its  le- 
gality, was  attended  with  no  beneficial  consequences  to  the 
expedition.  The  appropriate  duties  of  that  office  are,  to  re- 
ceive from  the  supreme  executive  his  orders,  which,  in  affairs 
of  importance,  proceed  from  the  united  wisdom  of  the  cabinet, 
and  transmit  them  for  execution  to  the  commanding  generals. 
His  office  gives  the  secretary  no  command  in  the  army.  lit 
the  present  case,  the  important  and  hazardous  measure  of 
proceeding  against  Montreal,  leaving  the  strongly  fortified 
posts  of  the  enemy  at  Kingston  and  Prescott  in.  the  rear,  was 
taken  in  pursuance  of  his  advice,  without  the  aid  of  the  Pres-- 
ident  or  the  cabinet,  and  contrary  to  the  opinion  of  the  com- 
mander in  chief.  No  justifiable  or  even  palliative  excuse  has 
ever  been  rendered  for  General  Hampton's  refusing  to  join 
the  expedition  on  the  St.  Lawrence.  In  a  country  abounding 
with  provisions  and  the  means  of  transportation,  there*could 
be  no  difficulty  in  effecting  a  movement  of  sixty  miles  in  the 
course  of  the  autumn.  His  fears  of  meeting  Sir  George 
Prevost  in  his  march  were  probably  groundless,  and  if  the 
enemy  had  come  out  in  force  to  attack  him  from  Montreal,  it 
would  of  course  have  left  that  city  unguarded,  and  ensured 
the  success  of  the  ultimate  object.  From  this  combination 
of  injudicious  and  inefficient  measures,  the  campaign  of  1813 
closed  without  effecting  the  capture  of  Montreal. 

Defenceless  situation  of  Fort, George,  Previous  to  General 
Wilkinson's  leaving  fort  George,  General  M'Clurehad  beenor- 
dered  in  with  the  New-York  militia  for  the  defence  of  the  Nia- 
gara frontier.  The  British  were  then  inconsiderable  force  in 
the  neighbourhood.  General  M'Clure  strongly  urged  the  e'xp'e* 

34 


sea  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  Chap.  12" 

diency  of  a  joint  attack  by  the  mifitia  and  regular  forces,  be- 
fore the  latter  proceeded  on  the  Montreal  expedition.  Suc- 
cess was  considered  as  certain.  The  frontier  would  then  be 
safe,  and  the  fears  of  the  neighbouring  inhabitants  quieted- 
In  the  opinion  of  General  Wilkinson,  the  advanced  state  of 
th€  season  did  not  admit  of  the  delay  necessary  for  that  ob- 
jecL  He  left  fort  George  on  the  2d  of  October,  with  all  the 
United  States  troops,  except  eight  hundred  under  the  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Scott,  and  with  oixlers  for  these  to  follow  a& 
soon  as  the  safety  of  that  frontier  would  admit.  On  the  1 2th 
of  October,  the  British  troops  near  fort  George  comme«ced  a 
retrograde  movement  towards  the  head  of  the  lake,  and  estab- 
lished themselves  at  Burlington  heights  ;  General  M'Clure 
with  the  militia,  commenced  a  pursuit:  on  the  2d  day  of  his 
march,  he  received  an  express  from  Coloael  Scott,  informing 
him  that  he  should  immediately  leave  fort  George  for  Sack- 
ett's  Harbour;  this  intelligence  obliged  him  to  relinquish  the 
pursuit,  and  return  for  the  defence  of  the  fort.  General 
M'Clure's  force  at  this  time,  consisted  of  one  thousand  mihtia 
engaged  until  the  9th  of  December,  and  two  hundred  and 
fifty  Indians.  The  general  used  every  exertion  ro  strike  a 
blow  at  the  enemy  before  the  term  of  service  of  his  mihtia 
should  expire.  On  the  first  of  November,  General  Harrison 
arrived  at  fort  Geoj-ge,  with,  M'Arthur'^s  brigade  from  the 
west.  Immediately  on  receiving  intelligence  of  Proctor's 
defeat,  the  secretary  at  war  ordered  General  Harrison,  with 
all  his  disposable  force,  to  proceed  to  Sackett's  Harbour,  to 
join  in  the  grand  expedition.  On  his  arrival  at  fort  George, 
General  M'Clure  used  every  exertion  to  accomplish  an  expe- 
dition against  the  British  at  Burlington,  during  the  stay  of  this 
brigade  at  the  fort.  But  General  Harrison's  orders  were 
p&remptory  ;  Chauncey  was  in  the  river  waiting  for  him,  and 
the  lateness  of  the  season  admitted  of  no  delay. 

Evacuation.  The  troops  from  the  west  embarked  on  the 
16 th  of  November,  and  again  left  the  Niagara  frontier  to  the 
4leiei\«j«j)f  tiMs  militia.     Th<jir  terms  of  service  were  now 


t8l3.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  ^7 

nearly  expiring,  and  the  British  were  in  the  neighbourhood 
waiting  for  that  event  to  make  an  attack.  Every  inducement 
was  held  out  to  the  militia  to  prolong  their  term  of  service, 
until  others  should  arrive.  Appeals  to  their  patriotism  and 
humanity  were  made,  from  a  view  of  the  exposed  situation 
of  the  frontier ;  and  to  their  interest,  from  the  offer  of  a  bounty 
and  an  increase  of  wages.  But  these  appeals  were  made  in 
vain  ;  scarcely  a  man  renewed  his  engagements ;  the  ne\^ 
drafts  had  not  yet  arrived;  and  on  the  10th  of  December, 
General  M'Clure  found  himself  at  fort  George  with  only 
sixty  effective  men,  in  view  of  a  much  superior  enemy,  per- 
fectly acquainted  with  his  weakness.  No  alternative  pre- 
sented, but  the  immediate  evacuation  of  the  fort. 

Burning  of  Newark,  On  the  10th  of  December,  the  val- 
uable stores  were  transported  across  the  river  to  fort  Niagara, 
fort  George  blown  up,  and  the  adjacent  village  of  Newark 
burned.  This  last  act  was  considered  as  an  unnecessary 
and  wanton  piece  of  cruelty.  General  M'Clure  justified 
himself  under  the  following  order  from  the  war  department, 
during  its  estabhshment  at  Sackett's  Harbour. 

"  War  Department,  October  4,  1813. 
«  Sir, 

"  Understanding  that  the  defence  of  the  post  commmit- 
ted  to  your  charge  may  render  it  proper  to  destroy  the  town 
of  Newark,  you  are  hereby  directed  to  apprise  the  inhabit- 
ants of  this  circumstance,  and  invite  them  to  remove  theo^- 
selves  and  their  effects  to  some  place  of  greater  safety. 

"JOHN  ARMSTRONG. 


*'  Brigadier  General  M'Clure, 
^'  or  of&cer  commanding  at  fort  George 


A 


No  event  more  disreputable  to  the  American  cause,  or  more 
injurious  in  its  consequences,  could  have  happened.  Five 
hundred  innocent  and  peaceful  inhabitants  were  in  a  moment 
rendered  houseless,  and  compelled,  in  the  midst  of  a  Cana- 
dian winter,  to  seek  a  shelter  and  subsistence  from  the  charity 


2<J  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  12. 

of  their  friends.  Wherever  these  unhappy  sufferers  wandered, 
the  eyedroptatearof  pity  over  their  misfortunes,  and  the  coun- 
tenance lightened  with  the  fire  of  revenge  against  the  authors 
of  their  calamity.  Whatever  friends  or  advocates  the  cause  of 
the  United  States  might  have  had  in  Canada  before  this 
event,  it  had  none  afterwards.  The  only  ground  of  justifi- 
cation ever  assumed,  was  that  it  was  a  necessary  measure  of 
defence,  to  prevent  the  British  army  from  finding  a  shelter 
during  the  winter,  on  the  borders  of  the  river,  w^hence  they 
might  annoy  the  inhabitants  on  the  right  bank.  But  this 
object  could  not  be  obtained  as  long  as  Queenston  and  the 
settlements  above  were  suffered  to  remain.  This  measure 
induced  a  most  heavy  and  calamitous  retaliation,  and  was 
Hiade  use  of  by  the  British  to  justify  all  their  wanton  acts  of 
cruelty,  during  the  war,  whether  before  or  after  the  event. 
Much  altercation  took  place  upon  the  question,  who  should 
bear  the  odium  of  this  transaction.  The  secretary  of  state, 
unacquainted  with  the  transactions  of  the  war  department, 
during  its  absence  from  the  seat  of  government,  disavowed 
the  act  to  the  British  authorities,  and  declared  it  to  be  an 
unauthorized  measure  of  the  commanding  general.  M'Clure 
considered  himself  as  fully  justified  by  Armstrong's  letter, 
while  the  latter  claimed,  that  the  letter  was  only  a  conditional 
authority,  and  that  the  case  in  which  it  was  to  be  exercised 
had  not  occurred.  It  is  evident  from  the  letter,  that  the 
scheme  of  burning  Newark  originated  with  the  war  depart- 
ment; and  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  an  authority  issuing  from 
that  source  to  the  commanding  general  on  a  particular  sta- 
tion, and  by  him  executed,  cannot  be  disavowed  to  the 
enemy ;  they  have  a  right  to  consider  it  as  the  act  of  the 
government,  although,  as  in  this  case,  it  was  unknown  to  the 
President  until  after  the  event.  The  letter  likewise  proves 
that  it  was  discretionary  with  General  M'Clure  to  do  it,  or  not, 
as  his  judgment  should  direct;  the  facts  clearly  show,  that  no 
good,  but  much  evil  and  dishonour  resulted  to  the  United 
xSiates  from  the  transaction ;  and  that  it  was  an  injudicious 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  269 

exercise  of  a  discretionary  authority,  improperly  given  by 
the  war  department,  during  its  unfortunate  excursion  to  Sack- 
ett's  Harbour. 

Capture  of  Fort  Niagara,  General  M'Clure  on  the  10th 
of  December,  passed  over  to  Niagara,  gave  the  necessary 
instructions  for  the  defence  of  that  post,  and  retired  to  Buffalo. 
On  the  18th  he  issued  an  address  to  the  neighbouring  inhab- 
itants, calling  upon  them  to  assemble  for  the  defence  of  fort 
Niagara,  and  stating  that  he  had  received  information  that  it 
would  be  attacked  the  next  day.  The  general  remained  at 
Buffalo ;  and  the  inhabitants  seeing  no  example  set  them  by 
the  author  of  the  address,  remained  at  home.  The  garrison 
at  Niagara  consisted  of  370  regulars,  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Leonard.  At  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the 
19th  the  British  and  Indians,  after  several  days'  preparation 
in  view  of  the  Americans,  crossed  the  river  at  the  Five  Miles 
Meadows,  to  the  amount  of  twelve  hundred  5  and  a  detach- 
ment, under  Colonel  Murray,  proceeded  to  attack  the  fort. 

Notwithstanding  appearances  had  f©r  some  days  past 
clearly  indicated  the  object  of  attack,  the  commanding  general 
was  at  Buffalo,  secure  in  his  quarters,  thirty  miles  from  the 
scene  of  action,  the  immediate  command  of  the  fort  being  left 
in  charge  of  a  man  wholly  incompetent,  who  at  this  critical 
moment,  had  gone  to  his  residence  three  miles  in  the  rear, 
the  gates  of  the  fort  left  open,  and  unguarded,  and  the  garri- 
son wholly  unprepared ;  the  result  was  as  might  be  expected, 
the  garrison  was  completely  surprised ;  sixty-five  killed,  many 
of  them  after  they  had  surrendered,  and  the  residue  made 
prisoners  ;  twenty-seven  pieces  of  ordnance,  and  large  quan- 
tities of  ammunition  and  military  stores,  taken. 

Desolation  of  the  Niagara  Frontier,  At  the  same  time 
another  detachment  of  the  British  proceeded  to  Lewis- 
town,  which  was  taken  without  opposition,  and  the  in- 
habitants put  to  flight.  The  Indians  now  plundered, 
burned,  and  massacred  without  restraint.  The  towns  of 
Niagara  and  Lewistown,  and  the  village  of  friendly  Indians 


-270  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  12. 

at  Tuscarora,  were  laid  in  ashes.  Governor  Tompkins, 
on  being  informed  of  the  removal  of  the  regular  troops  from 
the  Niagara  frontier,  on  the  27th  of  November,  gave  orders 
for  the  assembling  of  sufficient  bodies  of  militia  to  supply  the 
places  of  those  under  General  M'Clure.  But  owing  to  the 
delays  incident  to  such  operations,  they  failed  of  arriving 
until  after  the  capture  of  Niagara,  and  the  destruction  of  the 
frontier  below  the  falls.  On  the  26th  of  December,  General 
Hall,  commanding  the  western  division  of  militia,  had  assem- 
bled at  Buffalo  and  Black-Rock,  two  thousand  of  his  division. 
On  the  night  of  the  29th,  at  12  o'clock,  the  enemy  were  dis- 
covered approaching  the  American  shore,  near  those  places 
in  great  force.  The  militia  were  ordered  out  to  oppose  their 
landing,  but  the  main  body  fled  at  the  approach  of  the  enemy, 
without  firing  a  gun.  Colonel  Blackesley's  regiment,  with 
other  detached  corps,  amounting  in  the  whole  to  six  hundred, 
regularly  formed  in  line,  and  commenced  a  destructive  fire  on 
the  enemy,  as  they  approached  the  shore.  They  continued 
the  contest  until  their  associatei  had  all  fled,  and  further  op- 
position appeared  useless.  The  flourishing  villages  of  Black 
Rock  and  Buffalo,  and  the  neighbouring  settlements  were 
deserted,  and  fell  a  prey  to  the  British  and  Indians.  General 
Hall  retired  with  the  remains  of  his  dispersed  mihtia,  to 
Eleven  Mile  creek,  where  he  was  able  to  collect  only  about 
three  hundred ;  with  these  he  preserved  a  show  of  resistance, 
to  cover  the  flying  inhabitants,  and  check  the  advances  of 
the  enemy.  All  the  flourishing  villages  and  settlements  on 
the  Niagara,  between  the  lakes,  and  to  a  considerable  dis- 
tance in  the  rear  were  laid  in  ashes;  the  Indians  were  let  loose 
upon  the  flying  inhabitants,  and  hundreds  of  them  were  over- 
taken and  massacred.  The  frontier  presented  one  scene  of 
universal  desolation.*  The  miserable  inhabitants  who  es- 
caped the  Indian  tomahawk,  fled  to  the  interior,  without  shelter 
or  means  of  support,  in  the  depth  of  winter,  and  subsisted  on 

*  General  HaU*s  letter  to  Governor  Tompkins,  January  6i,  1814. 


If  is.  BiSTOKY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  271 

the  charity  of  their  friends.  More  than  two  hundred  houses, 
with  an  immense  value  of  property,  were  pillaged  and  de- 
stroyed,  and  the  wretched  inhabitants  and  owners  reduced  to 
poverty.  General  Hall  retired  to  Batavia,  fifty  miles  in  the 
rear  of  Niagara,  where  he  was  enabled  to  collect  eighteen 
hundred  militia  for  the  protection  of  the  public  stores,  and  the 
defence  of  those  settlements  which  had  escaped  desolation. 

PrevosVs  Proclamation,  At  length  even  the  humanity  of 
Governor  Prevost  began  to  relent,  and  on  the  12th  of  Jan- 
uary 1814,  he  issued  a  proclamation,  stating,  "That  it  will 
hardly  be  credited  by  those  who  shall  hereafter  read  it  in  the 
page  of  history,  that  in  the  enlightened  era  of  the  19th  cen- 
tury, and  in  the  inclemency  of  a  Canadian  winter,  the  troops 
of  a  nation,  calling  itself  cirihzed  and  Christian,  had  wantonly,, 
and  without  a  shadow  of  a  pretext,  forced  four  hundred 
women  and  children  to  quit  their  dwellings,  and  to  be  the 
mournful  spectators  of  the  conflagration  of  all  that  belonged 
to  them.  Yet  such  was  the  fate  of  Newark,  on  the  10th  of 
December,  a  day  which  the  inhabitants  of  Upper  Canada  can 
never  forget,  and  the  recollection  of  which  cannot  but  nerve 
their  arms,  when  apposed  to  their  vindictive  foe.  On  the 
night  of  that  day,  the  American  troops,  under  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral M'Clure,  being  about  to  evacuate  fort  George,  which  they 
could  no  longer  retain,  by  an  act  of  inhumanity  disgraceful  to 
themselves,  and  to  the  nation  to  which  they  belong,  set  fire  to 
upwards  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  houses,  composing  the  beau- 
tiful village  of  Newark,  and  burning  them  to  the  ground^ 
leaving  without  covering  or  shelter,  those  innocent,  unfortu- 
nate, and  distressed  inhabitants,  whom  that  officer  by  his 
proclamation  had  engaged  to  protect.  His  Excellency  would 
have  ill-consulted  the  honour  of  his  country,  and  the  justice 
due  to  his  Majesty's  injured  and  insulted  subjects,  had  he 
permitted  an  act  of  such  needless  cruelty  to  pass  unpunished, 
or  had  he  failed  to  visit  whenever  the  opportunity  arrived, 
upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  neighbouring  American  frontier, 
the  calamities  thus  ir>flicted  on  th^ir  own.     The  opportunity 


272  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  t2, 

has  occurred,  and  a  full  measure  of  retaliation  has  taken 
place ;  such  as  it  is  hoped  will  teach  the  enemy  to  respect  in 
future  the  laws  of  war,  and  recall  him  to  a  sense  of  what  is 
due  to  himself,  as  well  as  to  us.  In  the  further  prosecution  of 
the  contest  to  which  so  extraordinary  a  character  has  been 
given,  his  Excellency  must  be  guided  by  the  course  of  con- 
duct which  the  enemy  shall  hereafter  pursue.  Lamenting  the 
necessity  imposed  upon  him,  of  retaliating  upon  the  subjects 
of  America  the  miseries  inflicted  on  the  inhabitants  of  New- 
ark, it  is  not  his  intention  to  pursue  further  a  system  of  warfare 
so  revolting  to  his  own  feelings,  and  so  little  congenial  to  the 
British  character,  unless  the  future  measures  of  the  enemy 
should  compel  him  to  resort  to  it.  To  those  possessions  of 
the  enemy  along '"the  whole  line  of  frontier  which  have  hith- 
erto remained  undisturbed,  and  which  are  now  at  the  mercy 
of  the  troops  under  his  command,  his  Excellency  has  deter- 
mined to  extend  the  same  forbearance,  and  the  same  freedom 
from  rapine  and  plunder  which  they  have  hitherto  experi- 
enced; and  from  this  determination,  the  future  conduct  of  the 
American  government  shall  alone  induce  him  to  depart." 

The  scene  of  conflagration  here  terminated  ;  neither  party 
seemed  disposed  to  renew  a  course  of  warfare  which  tended 
only  to^the  destruction  of  unoffending  individuals.  The  burn- 
ing of  Newark,  it  was  readily  foreseen,  would  induce  such  a 
system  of  retaliation  as  has  been  described,  and  expose  the 
unprotected  American  frontier  to  destruction.  It  excited  a 
high  degree  of  indignation  against  the  commanding  general- 
He  apprehended  himself  to  have  been  shot  at  several  times  at 
Buffalo,  and  retired  to  Batavia  to  avoid  the  resentment  of  the 
frontier  inhabitants. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Presidential  Election, — Inaugural  Address. — Meeting  of  the  13th  Cou- 
g^ress. — Message.— Treasury  Report. — Report  of  Committee  of  Ways 
and  Means. — Direct  Taxes  and  Internal  Duties.-— Mr.  Webster's 
Resolutions  on  the  suppression  of  the  French  Decree  of  28th 
of  April,  1811 ;  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  State  thereon.— ^Report  of 
the  Committee  of  Foreign  Relations.— Massachusetts'  Remonstrance 
against  the  War. — British  Licenses  prohibited. — Report  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  British  Outrages.— Retaliation. — British  Claim  of  Natural 
Allegiance.—^American  Claim. — Proceedings  witti  Prisoners.-— Report 
of  the  Secretary  of  State  on  Allegiance — Second  Session  of  the  13th 
Congress.— Message. — Confidential  Communication,  recommending 
an  Embargo. — Report  of  Committee  of  Foreign  Relations. — Embargo 
laid. — Message,  and  Report  thereon,  recommending  the  Repeal  of 
the  Embargo. — Treasury  Report. — Expenditures  for  1813. — Esti- 
mates for  1814.-'--Bounty  increased. — Steam  Frigate  built. — Loan 
Bill  passed. — Close  of  the  Session. 

Presidential  Election,  March  4th,  1813.  The  meeting  of 
electors  of  President  and  Vice-President  for  the  presidential 
term  commencing  the  4th  of  March,  1813,  was  held  in  the 
several  states  agreeably  to  law,  on  the  1st  Wednesday  of 
December,  1812.  De  Witt  Clinton,  of  New-York,  was  the 
candidate  opposed  to  Mr.  Madison ;  and  was  selected  by  the 
peace  party^  on  the  ground  of  his  being  opposed  to  the  war. 
Mr.  Madison  united  the  votes  of  Vermont,  New-Hampshire, 
Pennsylvania,  and  all  the  states  south  and  west  of  Maryland. 
On  the  10th  of  February,  the  two  houses  of  Congress  met  in 
convention,  and  counted  the  votes;  when  the  result  appeared 
to  be  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  for  Mr.  Madison,  and 
eighty-nine  for  Mr.  Clinton.  For  Vice-President,  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-one  for  Mr.  Gerry,  and  eighty-six  for  Mr. 
IngersoU.  On  the  4th  of  March,  Mr.  Madison  was  inducted 
into  office  with  the  usual  ceremonies,  when  he  delivered  a 
speech  to  the  citizens  assembled  on  the  occasion,  in  justifica- 

o5 


2*74  Hlfll'OItY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  tS* 

lion  of  the  commencement,  and  continuance  of  the  war;  con- 
trasting the  humane  manner  in  which  it  had  been  carried  on 
by  the  United  States,  with  the  barbarities  of  the  British  and 
their  Indian  alhes ;  at  the  same  time  assuring  his  fellow-citizens, 
that  the  spirit  and  resources  of  the  country  were  amply  suffi- 
cient to  bring  it  to  an  honourable  issue. 

Meeting  of  Congress,  May^  24<A,  1813.  In  pursuance  of  a 
law  of  the  last  session,  the  1 3th  Congress  convened  on  the 
24th  of  May.  In  the  choice  of  a  speaker,  the  votes  were 
for  Mr.  Clay,  eighty-nine ;  for  Mr.  Pitkin,  the  peace  candi- 
date, fifty-four. 

Message,  On  the  25th,  the  President'^s  message  was  commmu- 
oieated,  stating  that  he  had  recently  received  a  communication 
from  the  emperor  of  Russia,  oftering  his  mediation,  as  the  com- 
mon friend  oi  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  making  peace  between  them^  That  this  offer  was  imme- 
diately accepted  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  and  three 
envoys  appointed,  and  commissioned  with  the  requisite 
powers  to  conclude  a  treaty  of  peace  with  persons  clothed 
with  hke  powers  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain;,  and  that  the 
two  envoys  who  were  in  the  United  States  at  the  time  of 
their  appointment,  had  proceeded  to  join  their  colleague 
already  at  St.  Petersburgh.  That  the  envoys  had  already  re- 
ceived another  eomniission^  authorizing  them  ta  conclude 
"\yith  the  emperor  of  Russia  a  treaty  of  commerce  with  a  view 
t©  strengthen  the  amicable  relations,  and  improve  the  benefi- 
cial intercourse  bel^ween  the  two  countries.  That  the  senti- 
ments of  Great  Britain  towards  the  emperor  were  such  as 
would  produce  an  acceptance  of  the  mediation,  might  fairly  be 
presumed.  That  no  adequate  motives  could  exist  for  her  to 
prefer  a  continuance  of  the  war  to  the  terms  on  which  the 
■United  States  were  wilhng  to  close  it.  The  message  further 
remarked,  that  the  British  cabinet  must  be  sensible,  that  with 
respect  to  the  important  question  of  impressment  on  which 

the  war  so  essei»tially  turns,  a  search  for,  or  seizure  of 
British  piBrsons  or  property  on  board  neuti-al  vessels  on  the 


m^  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  275 

high  seaS)  is  not  a  belligerent  right  derived  from  the  law  of 
nations ;  and  that  no  visit,  search,  or  use  of  force  for  any  pur- 
pose, on  board  of  vessels  of  one  independent  power,  can  be 
sanctioned  by  the  laws  or  authority  of  another.  It  is  equally 
obvious,  that  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  to  each  state  its 
sea-faring  members,  by  excluding  them  from  the  vessels  of 
the  other,  a  mode  heretofore  proposed,  and  now  enacted  by 
the  United  States  as  a  part  of  their  municipal  policy,  cannot 
for  a  moment  be  compared  with  the  mode  practised  by  Great 
Britain,  without  a  conviction  of  its  preferences,  in  as  much 
as  the  latter  leaves  the  discrimination  between  the  mariners 
of  the  two  nationSj  to  officers  exposed  to  unavoidable  bias, 
as  well  as  from  defect  of  evidence,  to  a  wrong  decision  under 
circumstanCies  precluding  redress,  and  where  a  wrong  de- 
cision, besides  the  irreparable  violation  of  the  rights  of  per- 
sons, might  frustrate  the  plans  and  profits  of  entire  voyages  : 
whereas  the  mode  adopted  by  the  United  States  guards,  with 
studied  fairness  and  delicacy,  against  errors  in  such  cases, 
and  avoids  the  effect  of  casual  errors  on  the  safety  of  naviga- 
tion, and  the  success  of  mercantile  enterprises.  If  the  rea- 
sonableness of  expectations  drawn  from  these  consideration?* 
could  guarantee  their  fulfilment,  a  just  peace  could  not  be 
distant;  but  it  becomes  the  wisdom  of  the  national  legislature 
to  keep  in  mind  the  true  policy  and  indispensable  obligation 
of  adapting  its  measures  to  the  principle  that  the  only  course 
to  a  safe  and  honourable  peace,  is  the  vigorous  employ- 
ment of  the  resK)urces  of  war. 

Treasury  Estimates,  The  principal  object  of  this  sessioa 
was  to  mature  and  bring  into  operation  a  system  of  internal 
duties,  and  direct  taxes,  for  which  there  was  not  time  the  last. 
Such  an  additional  revenue  was  deemed  to  be  necessary,  aB 
would,  with  that  already  established,  pay  the  ordinary  ex- 
penses of  government,  discharge  the  redeemable  portion  of 
the  public  debt,  and  pay  the  interest  on  the  war  loans.  Mr* 
Gallatin  having  been  appointed  one  of  the  envoys  on  the 
Russian  mediation,  the  treasury  department  was  committed  m 


276  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  1  J* 

Mr.  Jones,  the  secretary  of  the  navy.  On  the  second  of 
June,  the  acting  secretary  of  the  treasury  presented  to  the 
house  of  representatives  a  report  on  the  state  of  the  treasury  ; 
from  which  it  appeared  that  the  balance  in  the  treasury,  on 
the  30th  of  September,  1812,  was  2,362,652  69 

Receipts  at  the  treasury  from  that  period  to 

the  31st  of  March  1813,  were  15,412,416  25 


17,775,068   94 


The   issues   from  the   treasury  during   the 

same  period  were  15,919,334  41 

Leaving  a  balance   in  the  treasury  on   the     — • — ' 

1st  of  April,  1813,  of  gl,855,734  5^ 

The  loan  of  sixteen  millions,  authorized  by 
the  act  of  the  8fh  of  February,  had  been 
negotiated  upon  such  terms,  as  that  the 
United  States  had  received  eighty-eight 
dollars  cash  for  one  hundred  dollars  of 
their  stock,  bearing  six  per  cent,  interest. 
The  resources  for  the  residue  of  the  year 
1813,  were  the  balance  of  the  loan  of  six- 
teen millions  not  yet  received  14,913,26^ 

The  customs  and  sale  of  public  lands  esti- 
mated at  9,320 

Treasury  notes  authorized  to  be  issued  un- 
der the  act  of  the  25th  of  February,  1813  5,000,000 


29,330.000 


I'he  expenses  for  the  same  period  were  esti- 
mated to  be,  for  the  civil  list  900,000 
t'ayment  on  account  of  the  public  debt  10,510,000 
War  and  navy  departments  1 7,820,000 


29,230,000 

The  foregoing  estimates  were  calculated  to  reach  the  end 

of  the  year  1813*     The  secretary  recommends  an  early  and 


1813.  lll^ORV  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  27f 

adequate  provision  for  the  service  of  1814.  He  remarks, 
as  reliance  must  be  had  upon  loans  for  the  future  war  ex- 
penses, the  laying  of  the  internal  taxes  must  be  considered 
with  a  view  to  that  object  as  indispensable  to  facilitate  the 
obtaining  of  the  loan,  and  procuring  it  upon  favourable  terms. 
It  had  been  satisfactorily  ascertained,  that  the  terms  of  the 
last  loan  would  have  been  more  favourable  if  the  taxes  had 
been  previously  laid. 

It  is  obvious  that  by  affording  a  security  for  the  regular 
payment  of  the  interest,  and  eventual  reimbursement  of  the 
principal,  more  stable  and  less  liable  to  be  weakened,  and 
cut  off  by  the  effects  of  war,  than  a  revenue  depending,  as 
that  of  the  United  States  now  almost  wholly  does,  on  exter- 
nal commerce,  capitalists  will  advance  with  the  greater  readi- 
ness, and  at  a  lower  rate  of  interest,  the  funds  necessary  for 
the  prosecution  of  the  war.  Public  confidence  will  be  en- 
sured, and  the  means  afforded  of  preserving  public  credit 
unimpaired.  The  resources  of  the  country  are  ample,  and 
if  the  means  now  proposed,  and  those  heretofore  recom- 
mended from  this  department,  are  adopted,  it  is  believed  they  " 
may  fully  and  fairly  be  brought  into  action. 

The  committee  of  ways  and  means  reported  a  direct  tax 
of  three  millions  on  fixed  property;  and  the  same  system  of 
internal  revenue  which  had  been  brought  forward,  and  nearly 
matured  the  last  session.  It  embraced  duties  on  distilleries, 
refined  sugars,  retailers'  licenses,  sales  at  auction,  carriages, 
and  negotiable  paper,  estimated  to  raise  two  millions,  a  duty 
of  twenty  cents  a  bushel  on  salt,  estimated  to  raise  ^400,000, 
and  an  additional  tonnage  duty  on  foreign  vessels,  estimated 
at  g900,000.  As  this  system  had  been  thoroughly  canvassed 
the  last  session,  and  the  necessity  of  an  additional  revenue, 
was  becoming  every  day  more  and  more  apparent,  it  wa» 
adopted,  and  the  necessary  laws  passed  to  give  it  effect,  with 
very  little  debate  or  opposition.  A  further  loan  of  g  7,500,000, 
was  also  authorized.      '"''      •'''^-' 


^78  HISTORY  OF  THJE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  13* 

Mr.  Wthster>s  Resolutions.  On  the  10th  of  June,  Mr.  Web- 
ster offered  for  consideration  several  resolutions,  calling  on 
the  executive  for  information — 

When,  by  whom,  and  in  what  manner,  the  first  intelhgence 
was  given  to  the  American  government  of  the  French  decree 
of  the  28th  of  April,  1811,  purporting  to  be  a  definitive  re- 
peal of  the  Berlin  and  Milan  decrees  ? 

Whether  Mr.  Russell,  the  late  charge  des  affaires  at  the 
court  of  France^  ever  admitted  or  denied  the  correctness  of 
the  statement  of  the  duke  of  Bassano,  that  this  decree  had 
been  communicated  to  Mr.  Barlow's  predecessor? 

Whether  the  French  minister  at  Washington  had  ever  in- 
formed the  American  government  of  the  existence  of  such  a 
decree  ? 

And  whether  any  explanation  had  been  given  by  the  French 
government ;  why  the  decree  had  been  concealed,  together 
with  any  other  information  relative  to  the  subject,  not  im- 
proper to  be  communicated. 

These  resolutions  formed  a  principal  topic  of  debate  from 
the  10th  to  the  21st  of  June,  when  the  question  was  taken 
upon  them,  and  they  passed,  yeas  137,  nays  26. 

Report  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  On  the  13lh  of  July, 
the  secretary  of  state  reported  upon  the  subject  of  these  in- 
quiries* That  the  first  intelligence  which  the  American  gov- 
ernment received  of  the  decree  of  the  28th  of  April,  1811, 
was  communicated  in  a  letter  from  Mr.  Barlow,  bearing  date 
the  12th  of  May,  and  received  the  13th  of  July,  1812.  That 
the  first  intimation  of  the  existence  of  that  decree  was  given 
to  Mr.  Barlow  by  the  duke  of  Bassano,  in  an  informal  con- 
versation, sometime  between  the  1st  and  10th  of  May,  1812, 
and  formally  communicated  to  him  on  the  10th.  That  Mr. 
Barlow  transmitted  a  copy  of  the  decree,  an«l  the  duke  of 
Bassano's  letter  of  the  12th  of  May,  in  which  he  also  inform- 
ed Mr.  Russell,  that  the  duke  of  Bassano  stated  to  him,  that 
the  decree  had  been  duly  communicated  to  Mr.  Russell,  then 
charge  des  affaires  at  France,  at  its  date. 


Itn*  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  27!^ 

Mr.  Russell  replied  to  Mr.  Barlow's  letter,  stating  that  the 
first  knowledge  he  had  of  the  decree,  was  derived  from  his 
letter  of  the  11  th  of  May.  The  secretary  further  stated,  that  no 
communication  of  the  decree  was  ever  made  to  the  American 
government  by  the  French  minister,  and  no  explanation  given 
why  the  decree  was  not  published,  and  communicated  to  the 
American  government  at  its  date.  The  minister  of  France  hacj 
been  asked  to  explain  the  cause  of  a  proceeding  so  extraor- 
dinary, and  exceptionable  ;  to  which  he  replied,  that  his  first 
intelligence  of  that  decree  was  received  by  the  Wasp,  in  a 
letter  from  the  duke  of  Bassano,  of  the  10th  of  May,  1812  ; 
in  which  the  duke  expressed  his  surprise,  that  a  prior  letter 
of  May  1811,  in  which  he  transmitted  to  him  a  copy  of  the 
decree  for  the  information  of  the  American  government,  had 
not  been  received.  The  light  in  which  this  transaction  was 
viewed  by  the  President,  had  been  noticed  by  him  in  his 
message  to  Congress,  and  communicated  to  Mr.  Barlow,  in  a 
letter  of  the  14th  of  July,  with  a  view  to  the  requisite  infor- 
mation from  the  French  government.  Before  the  reception 
of  that  letter,  the  emperor  and  the  duke  of  Bassano  had 
left  Faris  for  the  north.  Mr.  Barlow  died  before  any  expla- 
nations had  been  given  ;  and  his  successor,  recently  appointed, 
has  been  instructed  to  demand  the  necessary  explanation. 

After  answering  the  ques-tions  proposed  by  the  resolutions, 
the  secretary  entered  into  an  elaborate  discussion,  tending  to 
show  that  the  repeal  of  the  British  orders  in  council  was 
owing  to  other  causes  than  the  repeal  of  the  French  decrees 
and  was  not  to  be  ascribed  to  that  of  the  28th  of  April,  1811, 
That  in  professedly  making  that  decree  the  basis  of  their  repeal, 
the  British  government  had  conceded  that  they  ought  to  have 
repealed  them  on  the  ground  of  the  declaration  of  the  French 
government  of  the  5th  of  August,  1810,  so  as  to  take  effect 
on  the  1st  of  the  following  November;  and  by  failing  so  to 
do,  were  justly  chargeable  with  all  the  consequences  of  the 
war.   That  the  final  repeal  of  the  orders  in  council  was  to  be 


280  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  J3. 

ascribed  to  the  pressure  which  the  restrictive  system  of  the 
American  government  brought  upon  the  British  nation.* 

Accompanying  the  report,  was  tlie  correspondence  between 
the  American  and  French  governments,  confirmmg  the  state- 
ments it  contained. 

The  committee  of  foreign  relations,  to  whom  the  subject 
was  referred,  without  adverting  to  the  concealment  of  the  de- 
cree by  the  French  government,  from  the  28th  of  April,  1811, 
to  the  10th  of  May,  1812,  and  the  false  declaration,  that  it 
was  communicated  to  Mr.  Russell  at  its  date,  remark  :  That 
the  secretary's  report,  and  the  accompanying  documents 
furnish  strong  additional  proof  of  the  justice  and  necessity  of 
the  war,  and  powerful  motives  for  the  steady  and  vigorous 
prosecution  of  it,  as  the  surest  means  of  a  safe  and  honoura- 
ble peace.  That  it  can  now  no  longer  be  doubted,  that  it 
was  the  pressure  of  the  restrictive  measures,  combined  with 
the  determination  of  Congress,  to  redress  their  wrongs  by 
arms,  and  not  the  repeal  of  the  French  decrees,  that  broke  down 
the  British  orders  in  council,  and  destroyed  that  dangerous 
system  of  monopoly,  by  which  America  was,  in  fact,  as  to  her 
commerce,  re-colonized.  Their  report  concludes  with  a  re- 
solution, declaring  that  the  conduct  of  the  executive,  in  relation 
to  the  subjects  referred  to,  meets  the  approbation  of  the  house. 

Massachusetts  Remonstrance,  On  the  19th  of  June,  Mr, 
Pickering  presented  a  remonstrance  from  the  legislature 
of  Massachusetts,  condemning  in  strong  and  pointed  lan- 
guage the  war,  as  impolitic  and  unjust.  They  state  that  of 
the  two  hundred  and  fifteen  millions  derived  by  the  United 
States,  under  the  operation  of  the  federal  constitution,  Mas- 
sachusetts had  paid  more  than  forty  millions,  or  about  one 
fifth  part  into  the  national  treasury.  That  if  this  sum  had 
been  preserved  to  her,  she  would  have  been  fully  compe- 
tent to  her  own  defence.  That  she  possesses  a  sea-coast 
^nore  extensive  and  |)opulous  than  any  other  state  in  the  union  ; 
and  an  extensive  land  frontier,  now  wholly  abandoned  by  the 

*nt»portof  the  secretary  of  state,  July  1813. 


IB  13.  HISTOIIY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  281 

government,  whose  duty  it  was  to  protect  her.  That  the  pol- 
icy adopted  by  the  general  government,  had  brought  the  good 
people  of  that  commonwealth  to  the  verge  of  ruin ;  had  an- 
nihilated that  commerce  so  essential  to  her  prosperity,  increas- 
ed their  burdens  while  it  diminished  their  means  of  support ; 
provided  for  the  establishment  of  an  immense  standing  army, 
dangerous  to  their  Uberties  and  irreconcileable  with  the  gen- 
ius of  their  constitution  ;  destroyed  their  just  and  constitution- 
al weight  in  the  general  government ;  and,  by  involving  them 
in  a  disastrous  war,  had  placed  in  the  power  of  the  enemy, 
the  control  of  the  fisheries,  a  treasure  of  more  value  to  the 
country  than  all  the  territories  for  which  they  are  contending, 
and  which  furnish  the  only  means  of  subsistence  for  thousands 
of  her  citizens,  and  the  great  nursery  of  her  seamen,  and 
the  right  to  which  cannot  be  be  abandoned  by  New  Eng- 
land. 

The  remonstrance  concludes,  by  earnestly  requesting,  that 
measures  may  be  immediately  adopted  to  stay  the  sword 
of  the  destroyer,  and  prevent  the  further  effusion  of  human 
blood :  that  the  invading  armies  may  be  forthwith  recalled 
within  our  own  territories,  and  that  every  effort  of  our  ruler? 
may  be  directed  to  the  attainment  of  a  just  and  honourable 
peace :  that  mutual  confidence  and  commercial  prosperity 
may  be  again  restored  to  our  distracted  and  suffering  country  ; 
and  that  by  an  upright  and  faithful  administration  of  the  gov- 
ernment, in  the  true  ?pirit  of  the  constitution,  its  blessings 
may  be  equally  diffused  to  every  part  of  the  union.  The  re- 
monstrance was  read,  ordered  to  lie  on  the  table,  and  contin- 
ued to  the  next  session. 

British  Licenses.  For  the  purpose  of  procuring  a  supply 
of  provisions  for  the  British  West  Indies,  and  the  combined 
armies  in  Spain,  the  naval  officers  commanding  the  Ameri- 
can stations,  had  been  directed  by  an  order  of  council  soon 
after  the  commencement  of  the  war,  to  grant  licenses  to  mer- 
chant vessels  of  the  United  States,  laden  with  provisions,  and 
bound  to  those  places.     These  licenses  protected  them  fror^ 

3^1 


282  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  12, 

British  capture  on  their  outward  and  return  voyages.  By 
means  of  them,  a  brisk  and  lucrative  trade  was  carried  on  ; 
those  places  in  a  great  measure  relieved  from  the  pressure  of 
the  war ;  supplies  obtained  for  the  British  army  and  navy,  and 
British  merchandise  introduced  into  the  United  States.  Ves- 
sels sailing  under  these  licenses,  had  been  taken  by  Ameri- 
can privateers,  brought  in  and  libelled ;  the  prize  courts 
cleared  them,  on  the  ground  that  such  trade  was  not  prohibit- 
ed by  law. 

Such  a  commerce  was  evidently  inadmissible.  It  tended 
to  frustrate  some  of  the  principal  objects  of  the  war.  An 
act  was  passed  this  session,  forbidding  all  persons  from  ob- 
taining, using  or  selling  such  hcenses,  on  penalty  of  forfeiting 
twice  the  value  of  the  vessel  and  cargo  to  be  protected  there- 
by, and  a  fine  of  five  thousand  dollars.  Any  vessel  found 
sailing  under  such  license,  was  to  be  considered  as  sailing 
under  the  British  flag,  and  liable  to  be  proceeded  against  as 
la\vful  prize. 

On  application  of  the  owners  of  privateers,  the  duties  on 
ppize  goods  were  reduced  to  one  third  less  than  what  were 
payable  on  goods  imported  in  any  other  manner. 

Report  of  the  Committee  on  the  manner  in  which  the  War 
had  been  conducted.  In  the  early  part  of  the  session,  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed  upon  that  part  of  the  President's  mes- 
sage which  related  to  the  spirit  and  manner  in  which  the  war 
bad  been  waged  by  the  enemy.  On  the  31st  of  July,  Mr. 
Macon,  from  that  committee,  reported,  that  they  had  collect-* 
ed,  and  arranged,  all  the  testimony  that  was  in  their  power  to 
obtain,  under  the  following  heads  : — 

1st.  Bad  treatment  of  American  prisoners. 

2d.  Detention  of  American  prisoners  as  British  subjects, 
on  the  plea  of  nativity  in  the  dominions  of  Great  Britain,  or 
of  naturalization. 

3d.  Detention  of  mariners  as  prisoners  of  war,  who  were 
fh  England  when  the  war  was  declared. 


3813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  2§3 

4th.  Compulsory  service  of  impressed  American  seamen 
on  board  of  British  ships  of  war, 

5th.  Violation  of  flags  of  truce. 

6th.  Ransom  of  American  prisoners  from  Indians  in  the 
British  service, 

7th.  Pillage,  and  destruction  of  private  property,  on  the 
Chesapeake  bay,  and  in  the  neighbouring  country. 

8th.  Massacre  and  burning  of  American  prisoners,  surren- 
dered to  officers  of  Great  Britain,  by  Indians  in  the  British 
service.  Abandonment  of  the  remains  of  Americans,  killed 
m  battle,  or  murdered  after  the  surrender  to  the  British  ;  the 
pillage  and  shooting  of  American  citizens,  and  the  burning  of 
their  houses,  after  the  surrender  to  the  British,  under  the 
guarantee  of  protection. 

9th.  Outrages  at  Hampton. 

The  evidence  under  the  first  head,  the  committee  remark, 
demonstrates  that  the  British  government  has  adopted  rigor- 
ous regulations,  unfriendly  to  the  comfort,  and  apparently  un- 
necessary for  the  safe  keeping  of  American  prisoners.  It 
shows  also,  instances  of  a  departure  from  the  customary  rules 
of  war,  by  the  selection  and  confinement,  in  close  prisons,  of 
particular  persons,  and  the  transportation  of  them  for  unde- 
fined causes,  from  the  ports  of  the  British  colonies  to  the 
island  of  Great  Britain* 

The  evidence  under  the  second  head,  establishes  the  fact, 
that  however  the  fact  of  detaining  American  citizens  or  Bri- 
tish subjects,  may  be  regarded,  as  to  the  principle  it  involves, 
that  such  detentions  continue  to  occur,  through  the  agency  of 
the  naval  and  other  commanders  of  that  government ;  and 
that  however  unwilling  to  allow  other  nations  to  naturalize 
lier  subjects,  Great  Britain  is  disposed  to  enforce  the  obliga- 
tion entered  into  by  subjects  naturalized  under  her  laws. 

The  evidence  under  the  third  head  shows,  that  while  all 
other  American  citizens  were  permitted  to  depart  within  a 
reasonable  time  after  the  declaration  of  war,  all  mariners 
who  were  in  the  dominions  of  Great  Britain  at   that  period, 


284  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  ChAp.  is. 

whether  they  resorted  to  her  ports  in  time  of  peace  for  law- 
ful purposes,  or  were  forced  into  them,  under  pretence  of  il- 
legal commerce,  are  considered  as  prisonors  of  war. 

The  testimony  collected  under  the  fourth  head,  proves  it  to 
be  the  ordinary  practice  of  the  officers  of  the  British  armed 
vessels,  to  force  impressed  Americans  to  serve  against  their 
country,  by  threats,  corporal  punishment,  and  the  fear  of 
immediate  execution. 

The  evidence  under  the  other  heads,  embraced  the  outrages 
committed  in  the  Chesapeake,  and  on  the  river  Raisin,  and 
clearly  estabhshed  the  facts  that  have  been  related,  as  to 
those  transacticrns. 

The  whole  testimony,  thu§  collected  and  arranged,  remains 
tn  the  r666rd^  of  Congress ;  and  the  report  concludes  with  a 
resolution,  requesting  the  Pre^dent  to  have  collected  and 
presented  to  Congress  during  the  continuance  of  the  war,  evi- 
dence of  any  departure  by  the  enemy,  from  the  ordinary 
mode  of  conducting  war  among  civilized  nations.  The  next 
meeting  of  Congress  was  fixed  on  the  first  Monday  of  De- 
cember, and  the  session  tlosed  on  the  2d  of  August. 

Natural  Allegiance,— ^Queenston  Prisoners,  At  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war,  a  question  arose  on  the  subject  of 
naitural  allegiance  between  the  belligerents,  which  had  well 
nigh  prbved  fatal  to  the  lives  of  all  who  were  so  tinfortunate 
as  to  be  made  prisoners  on  either  side; 

Among  the  Americans  taken  at  the  battle  of  Queenston, 
were  twenty-three  persons  ivhotn  he  British  authorities  claim- 
fed  to  have  been  born  within  their  doniiriions  ;  they  selected 
these,  put  them  in  close  confinement,  and  sent  them  to  Eng- 
lank  to  be  tried  for  high  treason.  On  the  part  of  Great 
Britain,  it  was  claimed,  that  these  persons  were  British  born 
subjects,  taken  on  British  territory,  in  arms  against  their 
sovereign  ;  that  every  person  born  within  the  king's  domiii- 
ions,  whether  original  or  colonial,  owed  a  natural,  unaliena- 
ble allegiance  to  the  crown,  which  no  circumstances,  times, 
k>p  places,  length  of  residence  in  foreign  countries,  or  obliga- 


UlX  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  283 

tions  contracted  there,  could  dissolve.  That  this  principle 
was  recognised  by  all  civilized  nations,  and  was  the  univer- 
sal law  of  Europe.  That  however  princes  might  permit 
their  subjects  to  accept  commissions,  or  engage  in  foreign 
service,  it  was  always  with  the  Exception  that  they  should 
iiot  bear  arms  against  their  native  sovereign,  and  generally 
with  the  condition,  that  in  case  their  own  country  should  be 
engaged  in  war,  they  should  return  to  its  defence.  That  a 
subject  could  not,  by  being  naturalized  in  a  foreign  country^ 
dissolve. his  allegiance;  and  that  if,  by  contracting  inconsistent 
obligations,  he  had  subjected  himself  to  inconveniences  and 
hazards,  he  must  abide  the  consequences. 

Expatriation.  The  American  government  strongly  remon- 
strated against  the  proceeding,  and  claimed  that  the  persons 
in  question  were  naturalized  American  citizens,  and  entitled 
to  the  same  treatment  as  other  prisoners  of  war.  The  ground 
taken  by  them  was,  that  every  person  at  his  birth  owed  only 
a  temporary  allegiance  to  the  country  of  his  nativity,  continu- 
ing only  during  his  residence  therein;  That  granting  to  a 
subject  the  liberty  of  emigrating  and  settling  in  other  coun- 
tries, necessarily  implied  the  liberty  of  changing  his  allegi- 
ance. No  person  could  be  under  two  obligations  inconsisteni 
with  each  other  at  the  same  time;  one  or  the  other  must 
necessarily  be  voidj  When  therefore  a  nation  freely  per- 
mitted its  subjects  to  emigrate^  and  settle  in  foreign  countries, 
and  received  and  naturalized  foreigners  at  home,  it  necessa- 
rily implied  a  liberty  to  their  emigrating  subjects  to  change 
their  allegiance.  American  citizens  bn  board  British  ships, 
and  those  resident  in  Gatiada  holding  knds  under  the  crown, 
Were  required  to  bear  arms  agatinst  the  United  States* 

The  difference  between  the  tWo  nations  on  this  subject, 
arose  in  a  great  measure  froni  the  different  structure  of  the 
governments.  Great  Britain  and  othei'  monarchies  were 
originally  founded  on  the  feudal  principlej  that  all  persons 
born  within  their  territories  wei*e  the  Vassals  of  the  crown; 
and  that  the  king  had  an  interest,  or  species  of  property  in 


286  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  15. 

die  persons,  and  a  right  to  the  services  of  his  subjects.  Upon 
this  principle  the  European  governments  claimed  and  often 
exercised  the  right  of  prohibiting  their  subjects  from  leaving, 
the  realm,  and  ordering  the  return  of  such  as  had  gone  out. 
These  doctrines  were  interwoven  in  their  constitutions,  and 
formed  a  part  of  their  municipal  code.  While  they  affected 
none  but  the  prince  and  his  vassals  or  subjects,  other  nations 
had  no  ground  of  complaint,  but  when  they  were  attempted 
to  be  enforced  on  the  territory,  or  in  the  ships  of  another 
power,  it  became  a  manifest  invasion  of  the  rights  and  inde- 
pendence of  that  nation.  The  republics  of  the  United  States 
were  founded  upon  the  principle  of  an  equality  of  rights 
among  all  the  citizens,  and  a  voluntary  association  for  their 
mutual  protection.  That  a  person  was  not  confined  to  the 
place  of  his  birth,  but  was  always  at  liberty  to  choose  his 
residence  in  any  country  :  that  protection  could  be  afforded 
only  while  the  citizen  remained  within  the  jurisdiction  that 
allegiance  and  protection  were  necessarily  reciprocal,  and 
co-extensive:  that  when  a  person  removed  out  of  the  limits 
of  his  own  government,  and  settled  himself  in  another,  pro- 
tection necessarily  ceased  and  with  it  the  corresponding  ob- 
ligation of  service,  or  allegiance. 

Retaliation.  The  remonstrances  of  the  American  govern- 
ment proving  ineffectual,  a  system  of  retaliation  was  adopt- 
ed. Twenty-three  British  prisoners  were  selected  and  placed 
in  close  confinement,  to  abide  the  fate  of  the  Queenston 
prisoners.  Forty-six  American  officers  were  then  taken  and 
put  in  close  confinement,  to  abide  the  fate  of  the  twenty-three 
British  soldiers.  Forty-six  British  officers  were  then  selected 
and  confined  for  the  purposes  of  retaliation.  Sixteen  prison- 
ers from  American  vessels  were  also  selected,  and  put  in  close 
confinement  at  Halifax,  for  the  purpose  of  being  sent  to  Eng- 
land for  trial,  as  being  British  born  subjects.  The  same 
number  of  British  seamen  were  taken  by  the  Americans,  and 
held  as  hostages.     Forty-six  other  American  officers  were 


J813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  237 

then  taken,  and  closely  confined,  to  abide  the  fate  of  the  last 
forty-six  British.  A  cartel  agreed  on  between  General  Win- 
der and  Colonel  Baynes,  for  the  general  exchange  of  prison- 
ers in  Canada,  was  disapproved  by  the  President,  because  it 
excepted  from  its  provisions,  the  forty-six  American  officers 
first  taken ;  and  no  exchange  of  prisoners  could  be  made. 

Under  the  provision  of  the  constitution  which  ordains, 
"  that  the  President  shall  from  time  to  time  give  to  the 
Congress  information  of  the  state  of  the  union,"  the  President 
communicated  these  facts  to  Congress  ;  and  under  the  same 
provision,  both  houses  had  adopted  the  practice  of  requesting 
of  the  President  information  of  any  facts  relating  to  the  sub- 
jects of  their  deliberation.  On  this  occasion  the  senate  ex- 
tended the  inquiry  as  to  what  the  law  of  nations  was  upon  the 
point  of  natural  allegiance  ;  and  passed  a  resolution  request- 
ing "  the  President  to  cause  to  be  laid  before  them  such 
information  as  he  may  possess  of  the  cases,  with  their  circum- 
stances, in  which  any  civilized  nation  had  punished  its  native 
subjects  taken  in  arms  against  her,  and  for  which  punishment 
retaliation  had  been  inflicted  by  the  nation  in  whose  service 
they  had  been  taken." 

It  was  obvious  that  whatever  information  was  to  be  had 
upon  this  subject,  must  be  gained  from  books  of  history,  and 
treatises  upon  the  law  of  nations,  contained  in  the  library  of 
Congress,  and  equally  in  the  power  of  the  senate  as  of  the 
President,  and  the  constitution  had  no  where  made  it  the  duty 
of  the  executive,  to  instruct  the  legislature  in  principles  of 
general  law.  The  secretary  of  state,  to  whom  the  resolution 
of  the  senate  was  referred,  remarks,  that  by  it  information  is 
demanded  of  the  conduct  of  Great  Britain  and  other  powers 
in  past  times,  without  limitation  in  the  retrospect,  in  circum- 
stances bearing  upon  the  question  of  retaliation;  and  that 
these  inquiries  necessarily  involve  an  extensive  research  in 
the  history  and  jurisprudence  of  the  nations  of  Europe,  for 
which  task  the  other  duties  of  his  office  had  altogether  dis- 
qualified him.     Another  difficulty  presented  itself,  not  men- 


$88  HISTORY  OF  TH£  LATfi  WAR.  Chap.  13. 

lioned  by  the  secretary ;  that  such  a  research  would  have 
brought  Into  view  cases  which  impugned  the  principles 
adopted  by  the  Apierican  government.  A  few  of  the  most 
prominent,  were : 

Precedents,  The  case  of  Doctor  Story,  in  the  reign  of 
Queen  jElizabeth.  He  was  a  native  of  England,  who  had 
long  quitted  his  country,  become  a  subject  of  Spain,  and  had 
been  actually  received  in  England  as  an  ambassador  of  the 
Spanish  government,  fie  was  afterwards  indicted  for  treason 
in  England,  pleaded  the  fact  of  his  being  a  Spanish  subject  in 
his  justification ;  his  plea  was  overruled,  and  he  condemned 
and  executed. 

The  case  of  Colonel  Townley,  who  was  indicted,  convicted, 
and  executed,  for  bearing  arms  against  England,  notwithr 
standing  his  having  been  naturalized  in  France ;  and  no  re- 
monstrance OF  claim  of  retaliation  on  the  part  of  the  French 
or  Spanish  governments  in  either  case. 

History  also  presents  the  French  decree  of  Trianon,  which 
provides,  that  no  Frenchman  can  be  naturalized  abroad  withr 
out  the  enaperor's  consent;  and  such  as  are  naturalized  with 
^consent  can  at  no  time  bear  arms  against  France. 

American  history  brings  to  view  a  law  of  the  state  of  Vir- 
ginia, which  allows  a  native  citizen,  by  a  formal  deed,  exe- 
cuted before  witnesses,  acknowledged  in  court,  and  recorded, 
to  quit  claim,  and  renounce  his  birth-right,  and  thenceforth 
be  deemed  as  though  he  had  never  been  a  citizen  of  the  state^ 
necessarily  implying  that  without  such  process,  expatriation 
was  not  admissible. 

Also  a  judiciacl  decision  of  the  highest  authority  in  the  case 
of  Isaac  Williams :;  who,  being  a  native  citizen  of  the  United 
States,  in  the  year  1792  received  a  lieutenant's  commission- 
and  served  on  board  the  Jupiter,  a  French  seventy-four  gun 
ship,  and  in  the  same  year  was  naturalized  in  France,  agreea- 
bly to  the  forms  of  law  in  that  country,  took  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance to  the  French  republic,  renouncing  expressly,  his  alle- 
giance to  all  other  countries,  particularly  to  America ;  had 


tSlS.  HtSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  280 

ever  since  continued  under  the  government,  and  for  most  of 
the  time,  had  resided  in  France.  In  the  year  1 799,  he  was 
indicted,  and  tried  before  the  circuit  court  of  the  United 
States,  holden  by  Chief  Justice  Ellsworth,  for  having,  in  Feb- 
ruary 1 797,  accepted  a  commission  under  the  French  repub- 
lic, and  instructions  to  commit  acts  of  hostility  against  Great 
Britain,  contrary  to  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
treaty  of  peace  between  them  and  Great  Britain.  On  these 
facts,  the  chief  justice  decided  that  the  prisoner  was  a  citizen 
of  the  United  States  at  the  time  the  acts  complained  of  were 
done,  and  that  the  facts  stated  afforded  no  ground  of  defence. 
The  judge  remarks,  that  all  the  members  of  the  civil  commu- 
nity are  bound  to  each  other  by  compact,  which  cannot  be 
dissolved  by  one  of  the  parties  by  his  own  act.  The  com- 
pact between  the  community  and  its  members,  is,  that  the 
community  should  protect  ihem,  and  that  they  should  at  all 
times  be  obedient  to  the  laws  of  the  community,  and  faithful 
in  its  defence.  If  an  emigrating  citizen  embarrasses  himself 
with  contradictory  obligations  by  naturahzation,  the  fault 
and  folly  are  his  own ;  this  implies  no  consent  of  the  govern- 
ment, that  the  citizen  should  expatriate  himself. 

Report  of  the  Secretary/  of  State,  Historical  researches 
presenting  these  views  of  the  subject,  the  secretary,  after 
apologizing  for  not  going  into  them,  merely  proceeds  to  re- 
mark, that  all  the  nations  of  Europe  naturalize  foreigners ; 
all  employ  in  their  service  the  subjects  of  each  other,  and 
frequently  against  their  native  countries,  even  when  not 
naturalized.  They  all  allow  their  own  subjects  to  emigrate ; 
that  although  examples  may  be  found  of  the  punishment  of 
their  native  subjects,  taken  in  arms  against  them  ;  these  ex- 
amples are  few,  and  have  either  been  marked  by  peculiar 
ci  rcumstances,  taking  them  out  of  the  contested  principle,  or 
have  proceeded  from  the  passions  or  policy  of  the  occasion. 
Even  in  prosecutions  and  convictions,  having  the  latter  origin, 
the  final  act  of  punishment  has  been  prevented,  with  few  ex* 
ceptions,  by  a  sense  of  equity  and  humanity,  or  a  dread  of 

37 


^90  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  13* 

retaliation.  It  is  confidently  believed  that  no  instance  can 
be  found,  in  which  the  alleged  purposes  of  the  enemy 
against  the  twenty-three  persons  in  question,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances which  belong  to  their  case,  even  though  many  of 
them  may  not  have  been  regularly  naturalized,  are  counte- 
nanced by  the  proceedings  of  any  European  nation.  That 
if  no  instances  occur  of  retaliation  in  the  few  cases  requiring 
it,  or  in  any  of  them,  by  the  government  employing  such  per- 
sons, it  has  been,  it  is  presumed,  because  the  punishment 
which  has  been  inflicted  by  the  native  country  might  be  ac- 
counted for  on  some  principle  other  than  its  denial  of  the 
right  of  emigration  and  naturahzation.  Had  the  government 
employing  the  persons  so  punished  by  their  native  country 
retaliated  in  such  cases,  it  might  have  incurred  the  reproach, 
cither  of  countenancing  acknowledged  crimes,  or  of  fol- 
lowing the  example  in  acts  of  cruelty,  exciting  horror,  rather 
than  of  fulfiiling  its  pledge  to  innocent  persons,  in  support  of 
rights  fairly  obtained,  and  sanctioned  by  the  general  opinion 
and  practice  of  the  nations  of  Europe,  ancient  and  modern.* 

The  opinions  and  reasonings  of  the  secretary  appear  to 
have  been  satisfactory.  A  bill  was  introduced,  authorizing 
retaliation  in  cases  where  the  President  deemed  it  just  and 
necessary ;  which  failed  of  passing,  only  on  the  ground  that 
Kuch  powers  were  already  fully  contained  in  the  general  con- 
stitutional powers  of  the  executive  to  conduct  the  war. 

Queensten  Prisoners  released.  This  unfortunate  contro- 
versy was  progressing  to  an  alarming  extent,  the  end  of 
which  none  could  foresee,  when  the  American  government 
received  intelligence  from  Mr.  Beasley,  their  commissary  of 
prisoners  in  England,  that  there  never  had  been  any  pro- 
ceedings against  the  Queenston  prisoners,  and  that  they  were 
restored  to  the  condition  of  ordinary  prisoners  of  war.  This 
ended  the  controversy ;   the  hostages  were  immediately  re- 

*  Rpeport  of  the  secretary  of  state,  April  1814. 


t813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  291 

leased  on  both  sides  ;  and  the  general  cartel  for  the  exchange 
of  prisoners,  ratified  and  executed. 

Meeting  of  Congress,  The  second  session  of  the  13th 
Congress,  pursuant  to  the  constitution,  commenced  on  the  6th 
of  December. 

Message,  On  the  7th,  the  President's  opening  message 
was  received,  in  which  he  informed  Congress,  that  it  was  a 
just  expectation,  from  the  respect  due  to  the  distinguished 
sovereign  who  had  invited  the  belligerent  parties  to  nego- 
tiation under  his  mediation,  from  the  readiness  with  which  it 
was  accepted  by  the  United  States,  and  from  a  pledge  to  be 
found  in  an  act  of  their  legislature  of  the  hberality  which 
their  plenipotentiaries  would  carry  into  the  negotiations,  that 
no  time  would  be  lost  by  the  British  government,  in  em- 
bracing the  experiment  for  hastening  a  stop  to  the  effusion  of 
blood.  A  prompt  and  cordial  acceptance  of  the  mediation 
was  the  less  to  be  doubted,  as  it  was  of  a  nature,  not  to  sub- 
mit rights  or  pretensions  on  either  side  to  the  decision  of  an 
umpire,  but  merely  to  afford  an  opportunity  honourable  and 
desirable  to  both,  for  discussing,  and  if  possible,  adjusting 
them  for  their  mutual  interests.  The  British  cabinet,  either 
mistaking  our  desire  of  peace  for  a  dread  of  their  power,  or 
misled  by  other  fallacious  calculations,  has  disappointed  these 
reasonable  anticipations.  No  communication  from  our  en- 
voys having  reached  us,  the  President  remarks,  no  informa- 
tion has  been  received  from  that  source.  But  it  is  known 
that  the  mediation  was  declined  in  the  first  instance,  and 
there  is  no  evidence,  notwithstanding  the  lapse  of  time,  that 
a  change  in  the  British  councils  has  taken  place,  or  is  to  be 
expected.  Under  such  circumstances,  a  nation,  proad  of  its 
rights  and  conscious  of  its  strength,  has  no  choice  but  an  ex- 
ertion of  the  latter,  in  support  of  the  former.  To  this  deter- 
mination, the  best  encouragement  is  derived  from  the  success 
with  which  it  has  pleased  the  Almighty  to  bless  the  Americas 
arms,  both  on  the  land  and  waters.  An  historical  view  is 
then  presented  of  the   military  and   naval   transactions   of 


2^2  MSTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  J3^. 

1813,  from  whieh   the  President  draws  the  foregoing  infer- 
ence. 

The  beneficial  effects  of  the  war  to  the  United  States  is 
thus  described.  If  the  war  has  increased  the  interruptions  of 
our  commerce,  it  has  at  the  same  time  cherished  and  multi- 
phed  our  manufactures,  so  as  to  render  us  independent  of  all 
other  countries  for  the  more  essential  branches,  and  is  rapidly 
giving  them  an  extent  which  will  create  additional  staples  for 
foreign  markets.  If  much  treasure  has  been  expended,  no 
inconsiderable  portion  of  it  has  been  applied  to  objects  dura- 
ble in  their  nature,  and  necessary  to  their  permanent  safety* 
If  the  war  has  exposed  us  to  increased  spoliations  on  the 
ocean,  and  predatory  incursions  on  the  land,  it  has  developed 
the  national  means  of  retaliating  the  former,  and  of  providing 
protection  against  the  latter ;  demonstrating  to  all,  that  every 
blow  aimed  at  our  maritime  independence,  is  an  impulse  ac- 
celerating the  growth  of  our  maritime  power.  By  diffusing 
through  the  mass  of  the  nation  the  elements  of  mihtary  disci- 
pline and  instruction,  by  augmenting  and  distributing  warlike 
preparations  applicable  to  future  use,  by  evincing  the  zeal  and 
valour  with  which  they  will  be  employed,  and  the  cheerful- 
ness with  which  every  necessary  burden  will  be  borne,  a 
greater  respect  for  our  rights,  and  a  longer  duration  of  our 
future  peace  are  promised  than  could  be  expected  without 
these  proofs  of  the  national  character  and  resources.  The 
war  has  proved  moreover  that  our  free  governments,  like 
other  free  governments,  though  slow  in  its  early  movements, 
acquires  in  its  progress  a  force  proportioned  to  its  freedom, 
and  that  the  union  of  these  states,  the  guardian  of  the  freedom 
and  safety  of  all  and  each,  is  strengthened  by  every  occasion 
that  puts  it  to  the  test.  In  fine  the  war  in  all  its  vicissitudes 
is  illustrating  the  capacity  and  destiny  of  the  United  States^ 
lo  be  a  great,  flourishing,  and  powerful  nation. 

The  beneficial  effects  of  the  war,  so  happily  portrayed  in 
the  message,  in  a  great  measure  alleviated  the  public  feelings 
♦f  regret  and  disappointment,  at  the  loss  of  the  stores  at 


1813.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE   WAR  293 

Sackett's  Harbour,  the  disasters  at  Burlington  and  the  Beaver 
Dams,  the  abandonment  of  the  Montreal  expedition,  and  the 
conflagration  of  the  Niagara  frontier.  It  did  not,  however, 
preclude  Congress  from  instituting  a  strict  inquiry  into  the 
causes  of  the  ill  success  of  the  American  arms,  in  the  cam- 
paign of  1813. 

Embargo.  On  the  9th  of  December,  the  President  sent 
a  confidential  communication  to  Congress,  stating  that  the 
tendency  of  the  commercial  and  navigation  laws  to  favour  the 
enemy  and  prolong  the  war,  is  more  and  more  developed  by 
experience.  Supplies  of  the  most  essential  kind,  find  their 
way  not  only  to  British  posts  and  garrisons  at  a  distance,  but 
their  armies  in  our  neighbourhood,  with  which  our  own  are 
contending,  derive  from  our  ports  and  outlets  a  subsistence 
obtainable  with  difficulty,  if  at  all,  from  other  sources.  Even 
the  fleets  and  troops  infesting  our  coasts  and  waters  are  by 
like  supplies  accommodated,  and  encouraged  in  their  predato- 
ry warfare.  Abuses  having  a  like  tendency,  take  place  in  our 
import  trade.  British  fabrics  and  products,  find  their  way 
into  our  ports,  under  the  name,  and  from  the  ports  of  other 
countries,  and  often  in  British  vessels,  disguised  as  neutrals 
by  false  colours  and  papers.  To  these  abuses  it  may  be  add- 
ed, that  illegal  importations  are  openly  made  with  advantage 
to  the  violaters  of  the  law,  by  undervaluations,  or  other  cir- 
cumstances involved  in  a  course  of  judicial  proceedings 
against  them.  It  is  found  also,  that  the  practice  of  ransom- 
ing, is  a  cover  for  collusive  captures,  and  a  channel  for  intel- 
ligence, advantageous  to  the  enemy. 

To  remedy  these  evils,  the  President  recommends  an  em- 
bargo, and  also  a  law  prohibiting  the  importation  of  all  articles 
known  to  be  derived  either  not  at  all,  or  in  an  immaterial  de- 
gree, from  any  other  country  than  Great  Britaiw,  from  what- 
ever port  or  place,  or  in  whatever  vessels  they  may  be 
brought ;  that  all  persons  concerned  in  collusive  captures,  or 
in  ransoming  their  vessejs  or  cargoes  from  the  enemy,  be 
subject  to  adequate  penalties  ;  and  an  enforcement  of  the 


^94  HISTORY  OF  THE  LAT£  WAR.  CifAP.  1^- 

non-importation  laws  with  increased  rigour.  The  message 
was  committed  to  the  committee  of  foreign  relations  ;  and  on 
the  10th,  Mr.  Grundy,  from  that  committee,  reported  a  bill, 
laying  an  embargo  without  limitation.  On  the  Uth,  Mr. 
Oakley,  while  the  house  had  this  bill  under  consideration,  of- 
fered two  resolutions,  requesting  the  President  to  lay  before 
the  house,  the  evidence  in  his  possession,  of  the  facts  stated  in 
his  message  of  the  9th.  The  house  refused  to  consider  these 
resolutions,  yeas  54,  nays  74.  Sundry  amendments  were  of- 
fered, tending  to  alter  the  principal  features  of  the  embargo 
bill,  and  negatived.  The  act  passed  the  house  of  represen- 
tatives on  the  11th  of  December,  yeas  85,  nays  57 ;  and  in 
the  senate,  yeas  20,  nays  14.  The  bill  prohibited  the  depart- 
ure of  any  vessel  from  the  ports  of  jurisdiction  of  the  United 
States,  except  their  public  and  private  armed  vessels,  and 
foreign  vessels  in  ballast,  or  with  such  cargoes  only  as  they 
might  have  on  board  at  the  time  of  passing  the  act.  It  also 
prohibited  the  putting  on  board  any  water  craft,  or  transport- 
ing by  land  carriage,  any  specie,  goods,  wares,  or  merchan- 
dise whatever,  with  intent  to  transport  the  same  without  the 
United  States,  on  penalty  of  forfeiting  the  vessel  or  carriage, 
and  the  lading ;  and  the  President  was  authorized  to  employ 
such  portion  of  the  land  or  naval  forces  as  were  necessary 
to  carry  into  effect  the  provisions  of  the  law.  The  effects  of 
this  measure  which  entirely  prevented  any  intercourse  by 
water,  between  even  neighbouring  ports  of  the  same  state, 
were  felt  with  peculiar  severity  by  the  towns  on  the  eastern 
sea-board ;  many  of  which  depended  on  small  coasting  ves- 
sels for  fuel  and  other  necessary  supplies. 

Under  the  second  section  of  this  act,  the  collector  of  New- 
York  seized  a  large  quantity  of  specie  belonging  to  the  Mas- 
sachusetts bank,  which  had  been  drawn  from  one  of  the  banks 
in  New- York,  and  was  about  being  remitted  to  Boston  ;  as 
being  ultimately  destined  for  exportation.  On  a  representa- 
tion to  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts,  they  determined  it  to 


1S13.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR  295 

be  a  flagrant  violation  of  private  rights,  and  requested  the 
governor  to  make  a  representation  to  the  President  upon  the 
subject.  On  such  representation,  the  President  referred  the 
subject  to  the  secretary  of  the  treasury  who  ordered  the 
money  to  be  returned  to  the  agents  of  the  bank. 

Embargo  raised.  On  the  31st  of  March,  the  President 
sent  a  message  to  Congress,  in  which  he  states  that  taking 
into  view  the  mutual  interest  which  the  United  States,  and 
foreign  nations  in  amity  with  them  have  in  a  liberal  commer- 
cial intercourse,  and  the  extensive  changes  favourable  there- 
to which  have  recently  taken  place,  and  the  important  advan- 
tages which  may  result  from  adapting  the  state  of  our  com- 
mercial laws  to  the  circumstances  now  existing ;  he  is  induced 
to  recommend  the  repeal  of  the  embargo  and  non-importation 
laws.  He  recommends  also,  in  aid  of  domestic  manufac- 
tures, a  continuance  of  the  double  duties,  for  two  years  after 
the  termination  of  the  w^ar,  and  a  prohibition  of  the  exporta- 
tion of  specie  for  the  same  period. 

The  subject  was  referred  to  the  committee  of  foreign  re- 
lations, who  on  the  4th  of  April  presented  a  report  to  the 
the  house,  stating  that,  previous  to  the  late  changes  in  Europe, 
the  bearing  of  the  restrictive  measures  was  for  the  most  part 
confined  to  the  enemy.  That  at  present  a  prospect  existed 
of  extended  intercourse  with  friendly  powers,  highly  impor- 
tant to  both  parties,  and  which  it  may  be  presumed  they  will 
find  an  equal  interest  and  disposition  to  promote.  All  Ger- 
many, Denmark,  and  Holland,  heretofore  under  the  double 
restraint  of  internal  regulation,  and  external  blockades,  and 
depredations  from  a  commerce  with  the  United  States,  ap- 
pear by  late  events  to  be  liberated  therefrom.  That  changes 
equally  favourable  to  the  commerce  of  the  United  States  ap- 
pear to  be  taking  place,  in  Spain,  Portugal,  Italy,  and  the 
more  extreme  ports  of  the  Mediterranean.  These  considera- 
tions, together  with  those  of  an  internal  nature,  equally  forci- 
ble, among  which  are  the  augmentation  of  the  revenue,  main- 
tenance of  the  public  credit,  increasing  the  price,  and  pro- 


296  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  13, 

moting  the  circulation  of  the  produce  of  the  country,  had  in- 
duced them  to  report  a  bill  for  the  repeal  of  the  embargo 
and  non-importation  laws.  A  large  majority  of  the  house 
received  this  bill  with  the  highest  satisfaction,  and  passed  it 
on  the  7th ;  yeas  115,  nays  37. 

Treasury  Report.  On  the  8th  of  January,  the  secretary 
of  the  treasury  presented  his  annual  report ;  stating  that  the 
receipts  at  the  treasury  for  the  year  ending  the  30th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1813,  were  from  the  customs,  sales  of  lands,  and 
other  small  branches  of  revenue  ^13,568,042  43 

From  loans  23,976,912  50 

Balance  in  the  treasury  2,362,659  69 


Making  an  aggregate  of  ^39,907,607  62 

That  the  disbursements  from  the  treasury 

during  the  same  period  have  been,  for 

civil  list  and  msicellaneous  expenses  g  1,705,916  35 

Payment  on  account  of  public  debt  6,317,481   15 

War  expenses,  viz. 

Military  18,484,750  49 

Naval  6,420,707  20 


Amounting  to  32,928,855   19 
Leaving  a  balance  in  the  treasury  on  the 

30th  of  September,  1813,  of  6,978,752  43 

The  estimates  for  the  year  1814  were, 

Civil  and  miscellaneous  $  1 ,700,000 

Interest  on  the  debt  existing  before  the  war  2,100,000 

interest  on  the  war  loans  2,950,000 

Reimbursements  on  account  of  principal  7,1 50,000 
War  expenses,  viz. 

Military  24,550,000 

Naval  6,900,000 

$45,350,000 


1813.                 HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  207 

The  ways  and  means  proposed  were, 

Customs  and  sales  of  public  land,  §5,6000,01^ 

Internal  revenue  and  direct  tax,  3,500,000 

Balance  of  former  loans,  4,720,000 

Cash  in  the  treasury  unappropriated,  1,180,000 


g  15,000,000 

Remaining  to  be  provided  for  by  new  loans  ;J29,330,000 
for  the  service  of  the  year  1814. 

To  obtain  this  sum,  a  law  was  passed  authorizing  a  loan  of 
twenty-five  milUons,  reimbursable  in  twelve  years;  and  the 
issue  of  five  millions  of  treasury  notes,  bearing  an  interest  of 
five  and  two  fifths  per  cent.,  and  payable  in  one  year. 

Recruiting  service.  In  the  progress  of  the  war,  the  difficul- 
ty of  raising  recruits,  and  the  filling  the  ranks  of  the  army 
increased.  The  regular  force  calculated  upon  and  authorized 
to  be  raised  for  the  service  of  the  year  1813,  was  sixty-one 
thousand.  The  whole  number  actually  in  service"  in  Febru- 
ary 1813,  amou.ited  to  only  18,970  ;  in  June,  to  27,G09  ;  iff 
December,  to  34,325  and  in  January  1814,  to  33,8£2.  To  pro-' 
vide  for  filling  the  ranks  for  the  service  of  they  ear  1814,  a  law 
was  passed  early  in  the  session,  offering  a  bounty  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-four  dollars  to  each  soldier  who  should  enlist 
for  five  years,  or  during  the  continuance  of  the  war ;  and 
eight  dollars  for  each  man,  was  given  to  the  recruiting  officer, 
who  should  procure  the  enlistment. 

Steam  Frigate,  The  powers  of  steam  had  recently,  by  the 
the  ingenuity  of  Robert  Fulton  been  successfully  applied  to 
the  purposes  of  navigation.  It  had  been  found  by  experi- 
ment that  even  large  vessels  might  be  propelled  by  this  power. 
Mr.  Fulton  formed  the  plan  of  constructing  a  steam  frigate, 
adapted  to  harbour  defence.  The  ship  was' to  be  the  size  of 
the  largest  class  of  frigates,  and  to  be  armed  with  heavy  long 
guns,  the  sides  to  be  made  impenetrable  to  cannon  balls.  If* 
was  calculated,  that  this  battery,  being  propelled  by  steam, 
could  approach  any  of  the  largest  British  ships  on  the  Ameri- 

38 


:fSS  HISTORY  OF  l^ffi  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  13: 

ean  coast  in  a  calm,  and  choose  her  own  distance  and  position. 
The  machinery  being  under  deck,  would  be  safe  from  the  en- 
emy's guns,  and  the  frigate  could  protect  herself  from  board- 
ers, by  inundating  the  deck  with  boiling  water,  while  her 
crew  remained  under  coA^er.  This  ship,  it  was  calculated, 
would  either  sink  or  capture  the  British  seventy  fours,  or  ex- 
pel them  from  the  harbours  of  the  United  States.  The  plan 
was  first  submitted  to  the  principal  naval  officers,  who  express- 
ed their  opinion  that  such  a  ship  might  be  rendered  more 
formidable  to  an  enemy,  than  any  kind  of  engine  hitherto  in- 
vented, and  would  be  equal  to  the  destruction  of  one  or  more 
geventy-fours,  or  of  compelling  them  to  depart  from  the  har- 
bours of  the  United  States  ;  it  was  therefore  their  opinion 
lliat  the  best  interests  of  the  country  required  that  the  plan 
be  carried  into  immediate  execution.  The  scheme  met  the 
approbation  of  Congress,  and  five  hundred  thousand  dollars 
were  appropriated  to  carry  it  into  effect.  The  building  of 
the  ship  commenced  at  New- York,  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Fulton,  early  in  the  season  of  1814;  the  ship  was  launched 
about  the  first  of  November ;  the  lateness  of  the  period  be- 
fore she  could  be  got  in  readiness,  prevented  a  trial  of  her 
powers  that  season,  and  the  peace  intervening  before  the 
next,  no  opportunity  has  occurred  for  the  experiment ;  and 
she  remains  as  a  formidable  instrument  of  defence  against 
any  future  invasion. 

The  sanguine  friends  of  this  system  of  defence  were 
ready  to  lament  the  termination  of  the  war  before  a  fair 
experiment  could  be  made.  If  it  should  answer  their  expec- 
tations it  would  be  the  cheapest  and  best  mode  of  harbour 
defence  ;  and  in  a  great  measure  supersede  the  necessity  of 
ships  of  the  line  for  that  purpose. 

Debates  on  the  Loan  Bill,  In  the  debate  on  the  loan  bilL 
the  speakers  took  a  wide  range,  and  brought  into  view  every 
subject  connected  with  the  causes,  commencement,  progress, 
^nd  manner  of  conducting  the  war.  The  opposition  con- 
tejidid  that,  with  few  ex<;eptions.  the  progress  of  the  war 


1813.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  299 

had  manifested  an  utter  inability  in  its  managers,  and  had 
been  one  continued  scene  of  disaster  and  defeat:  that  the 
ill  success  of  the  recruiting  service  had  driven  the  govern- 
ment to  the  necessity  of  offering  the  most  enormous  bounties  : 
that  these  failing,  a  system  of  conscription  must  ultimately 
be  adopted,  fatal  to  the  liberties  of  the  citizens. 

The  majority  contended  that  the  war  was  just  in  its  origin, 
judiciously  conducted,  and  had  been  attended  with  no  incon- 
siderable degree  of  success :  that  it  had  ever  been  managed 
upon  the  most  humane  and  liberal  principles,  and  that  the 
only  road  to  a  safe  and  honourable  peace  was  a  vigorous 
prosecution  of  the  war  until  the  object  was  obtained.  After 
a  discussion  of  several  weeks,  in  which  the  arguments  on 
both  sides  were  often  repeated,  and  with  little  effect,  the  loan 
bill,  and  the  other  war  measures  passed  both  houses  of  Con- 
gress, by  majorities  of  nearly  two-thirds.  Congress,  having 
passed  a  law  providing  that  the  next  session  should  com- 
mence on  the  last  Monday  in  October,  adjourned  on  the 
J6th  of  April. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

State  of  Europe  at  the  commencement  of  the  year  1814. — Its  Effects  on 
the  American  War. — British  Plan  of  the  Campaign  of  1814. — Ameri- 
ican  System  of  Defence. — Arrival  of  the  Bordeaux  and  Mediterra- 
nean Squadron  and  Troops  in  the  Chesapeake. — Landing  at  Benedict. 
— March  to  Washington. — Battle  of  Bladensburgh. — Capture  and 
Burning  of  Washington. — Retreat  of  the  British  Forces. — Capitula- 
tion and  plunder  of  Alexandria.— Causes  of  the  Disasters  in  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia. 

State  of  Europe.  The  changes  which  took  place  in  Europe, 
soon  ofter  the  commencement  of  the  American  war,  had  an 
important  aspect  upon  the  affairs  of  the  United  States.  When 
the  war  commenced,  Bonaparte  was  on  his  way  to  the  north, 
with  an  army  of  lialf  a  million,  to  invade  the  dominions  of  the 
emperor  of  Russia  ;  at  the  same  time  he  was  engaged  in  a 
war  with  England  and  Spain,  in  the  Spanish  peninsula.  The 
greater  part  of  the  rest  of  Europe  was  subject  to  his  control. 
The  professed  object  of  his  war  with  Russia,  was  to  compel 
that  power  to  adopt  the  continental  system,  and  to  exclude 
English  productions,  and  commerce  from  her  ports.  In  the 
issue  of  that  contest,  England  had  a  deep  interest ;  indeed  it 
was  a  war  upon  her,  through  Russia.  In  the  war  in  Spain, 
England  was  the  principal,  with  the  other  powers  of  Europe, 
who  were  the  allies  and  dependents  of  Bonaparte,  England 
was  necessarily  at  war.  Under  such  circumstances,  the 
American  war,  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain,  was  of  a  defen- 
sive character.  During  the  two  first  campaigns,  England 
detached  no  greater  force  from  her  continental  wars,  than 
what  she  deemed  necessary  to  maintain  her  possessions  in 
America.  At  the  close  of  the  year  1812,  the  arms  and  cli- 
mate of  Russia,  had  destroyed  the  French  army.  Only 
twenty  thousand  soldiers,  the  miserable  remnant  of  the  most 
numerous  and  best  appointed  army  ever  assembled  in  Europe, 


302  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  14. 

lived  to  reach  France;  and  those  half  frozen,  famished, 
broken  down,  and  defeated  troops,  were  fit  only  to  people 
the  hospitals  of  their  country.  The  European  nations  which 
had  been  held  in  vassalage  by  the  French  emperor,  took 
courage  from  his  misfortunes,  and  resumed  their  indepen- 
dence. During  the  following  winter,  Bonaparte  persuaded 
the  French  nation  to  make  one  more  mighty  struggle  for 
universal  dominion;  and  induced  them  to  adopt  a  most  rigid 
conscription,  by  which  he  was  enabled  to  call  into  service 
three  hundred  thousand  more  of  her  citizens  for  the  conquest 
of  the  north. 

In  the  campaign  of  1813,  he  found  Russia,  Austria,  Eng- 
land, Prussia,  Sweden,  Spain,  and  the  greater  part  of  Ger- 
many, united  against  him ;  his  army,  consisting  principally  of 
newly  levied  conscripts,  were  unable  to  contend  with  the 
united  forces  of  these  powers.  In  a  series  of  defeats  they 
were  driven  from  the  north  into  their  own  country ;  the  capi- 
tal of  France  taken  by  the  allied  powers  ;  and  Bonaparte 
obhged  to  stipulate  for  his  life,  and  a  small  remnant  of  do- 
minion in  the  island  of  Elba.  The  Bourbons  were  restored 
to  the  thrones  of  France  and  Spain,  under  such  restrictions 
as  were  calculated  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  their  sub- 
jects. At  the  commencement  of  the  year  1814,  Louis  the 
18th  was  placed  on  the  French  throne.  Bonaparte  had 
retired,  under  the  protection  of  an  English  frigate  to  his  em- 
pire of  Elba,  and  tranquillity  was  restored  to  Europe. 

Its  Effects  on  the  War.  This  state  of  things  gave  an  entirely 
new  character  to  the  American  war.  The  whole  continent  of 
Europe  was  opened  to  British  productions ;  and  in  time  of 
peace  there  was  no  pretence,  or  claim  of  right,  on  the  part  of 
England,  to  lay  restrictions  on  American  commerce  with 
other  powers.  She  had  on  her  hands  more  seamen  than  she 
had  occasion  to  employ,  and  had  no  inducement  to  seek  them 
on  board  American  ships.  There  was  now  no  subjects  of 
contention  between  the  belligerent  parties,  but  abstract 
questions  of  right,  which  were  not  at  this  period,  and  might 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  303 

not  ever  again  be,  of  any  practical  importance.  Had  they 
been  sincerely  desirous  of  peace,  there  could  have  been  little 
difficulty  in  adjusting  the  terms.  During  the  two  campaigns 
that  had  passed,  neither  had  gained  any  territory  from  the 
other,  or  any  advantages  which  would  justify  their  requiring 
any  important  sacrifices  from  their  antagonist.  Human  slaugh- 
ter and  suffering  on  each  side  were  nearly  balanced.  Six 
thousand  had  been  slain  in  batde  on  land  and  water,  about 
the  same  number  incarcerated  in  prisons,  and  a  number 
equal  to  both  been  mangled  with  wounds.  Four  hundred 
dwelling  houses  had  been  burned,  and  their  miserable  tenants 
thrown  houseless  upon  the  vrorld.  The  balance  of  prisoners 
taken,  and  devastations  committed  on  land,  was  in  favour  of 
the  British:  the  destruction  and  capture  of  property  on  the 
ocean,  was  much  in  favour  of  the  Americans.  The  conquest 
of  Canada  had  become  hopeless ;  and  equally  vain  was  any 
expectation,  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain,  of  acquiring  any 
territory  from  the  United  States,  or  compelling  them  to  ac- 
knowledge her  maritime  claims.  America  wished  for  peace, 
but  Great  Britain  had  very  diiFerent  objects  in  view.  She 
had  long  considered  the  American  settlements  in  the  west,  as 
calculated  ultimately  to  destroy  her  influence  with  the  Indians; 
to  cut  off  her  profitable  fur  trade,  and  to  hazard  her  Cana- 
dian possessions ;  and  now  rejoiced  at  an  opportunity  of  ar- 
resting their  progress.  She  affected  to  consider  her  contest 
with  Bonaparte,  as  a  struggle  for  the  liberties  of  mankind,, 
and  the  declaration  of  war  on  the  part  of  America,  as  a 
league  with  him  for  her  destruction.  She  had  on  hand  nu- 
merous and  well  appointed  fleets  and  armies,  the  officers  of 
which  dreaded  a  peace  establishment,  and  were  anxious  to 
distinguish  themselves  on  the  theatre  of  the  American  war^ 
and  retrieve  the  honour  their  country  had  lost  in  the  naval 
contest  of  1812. 

British  Plan  of  the  Campaign  of  1814.  With  these  views 
Great  Britain  delayed  all  arrangements  for  negotiation,  and 
prepared  to  open  the  campaign  of  1814   upon  an  extended 


304  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  14. 

scale.  Her  arrangements  were,  to  send  the  flower  of  Lord 
Wellington's  army  against  the  United  States  ;  to  invade  the 
country  from  Montreal  by  the  way  of  Plattsburgh  and  lake 
Champlain,  and  penetrate  as  far  as  Albany ;  to  increase  her 
naval  force  at  Kingston,  so  as  to  command  lake  Ontario;  to 
send  a  powerful  reinforcement  to  the  Niagara  frontier;  to 
augment  her  fleets  on  the  American  coast,  so  as  to  command 
the  navigation,  and  destroy  every  thing  American  that  should 
be  found  afloat;  and  with  their  navy,  aided  by  a  powerful 
land  force,  attack  the  most  important  and  assailable  points  on 
the  sea-board.  These  objects  being  accomplished,  she  could 
then  require  of  the  Americans  as  the  price  of  peace,  an 
abandonment  of  their  maritime  claims,  and  a  sacrifice  of  a 
large  portion  of  their  western  territory  to  her  Indian  allies. 
The  British  naval  force  was  intrusted  to  Sir  George  Coch- 
rane, vice  admiral  of  the  red,  assisted  by  admirals  Cock- 
burn  and  Covington.  Major  General  Ross  commanded  the 
land  forces  destined  to  co-operate  with  the  navy  on  the  coast. 

American  Views.  In  the  month  of  June,  authentic  intelli- 
gence was  received  by  the  American  government  of  the  com- 
plete success  of  the  allies,  and  the  consequent  general  paci- 
fication in  Europe.  About  the  same  time  intelligence  arrived 
that  large  reinforcements  from  the  British  fleets  and  armies 
which  had  been  engaged  in  the  European  contest  were  pro- 
ceeding to  America.  This  intelligence  entirely  changed  the 
objects  of  the  American  government  in  relation  to  the  war. 
All  views  of  the  Canadian  conquest  were  laid  aside.  In- 
structions were  immediately  despatched  to  their  envoys  in 
Europe,  who  had  been  there  patiently  waiting  for  more  than 
a  year  for  the  appointment  of  envoys  on  the  part  of  the 
British  government,  to  waive  all  questions  of  free  trade,  sai- 
lors' rights,  impressment,  and  blockades,  and  to  make  peace, 
preserving  the  territory  of  the  United  States  unimpaired. 

Measures  of  Defence,  A  cabinet  council  was  specially 
called,  to  devise  measures  for  the  defence  of  the  capital. 
The  district  of  Columbia,  with  parts  of  the  adjacent  states 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  305 

was  constituted  a  distinct  military  district,  and  its  defence 
intrusted  to  General  Winder,  aided  by  the  wisdom  of  the 
President,  and  heads  of  departments ;  fifteen  thousand  of  the 
neighbouring  militia  were  ordered  in  for  the  protection  of  the 
city  of  Washington,  and  a  large  flotilla  of  gun-boats,  assigned 
to  the  Chesapeake,  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Barney, 
for  the  protection  of  the  harbours  and  towns  on  the  bay.  A 
proclamation  was  issued,  convening  Congress  on  the  30th  of 
September.  Every  effort  was  made  to  put  .the  country  in  a 
state  of  defence,  to  meet  the  approaching  crisis.  The  large 
maritime  towns,  feeling  their  exposed  situation,  used  their 
utmost  exertions  to  place  themselves  in  an  attitude  of  defence* 
At  Baltimore,  the  inhabitants  of  every  party,  age,  and  class, 
capable  of  labour,  divided  themselves  into  four  classes,  each 
of  which  wrought  at  the  fortifications  every  fourth  day.  The 
citizens  of  the  neighbouring  country  earae  in,  in  considerable 
numbers,  and  aided  their  brethren  in  constructing  works  of 
defence.  In  Philadelphia,  New- York,  Boston,  Newport,  and 
in  all  the  other  considerable  towns  on  the  coast,  the  citizens 
universally  turned  out.  All  able  to  bear  arms,  though  ex- 
empt from  military  duty,  enrolled,  organized,  and  equipped 
themselves  for  service.  Mr.  Clinton,  the  mayor  of  New- York, 
though  opposed  to  the  war,  in  the  name  of  the  city  authorities^ 
addressed  his  fellow-citizens  in  the  following  persuasive  lan- 
guage: 

"  Fellow-citizens,  the  city  is  in  danger;  we  are  threatened 
with  invasion  :  it  is  the  duty  of  all  good  citizens  to  prepare 
for  the  crisis  :  we  must  arm  ourselves  to  aid  the  regular  forces 
of  the  government  in  a  vigorous  defence.  The  questions  are 
not  now  whether  the  war  was  just  or  unjust,  in  its  commence- 
ment; whether  the  declaration  of  it  was  politic  or  expedient; 
whether  its  causes  have  long  ago  ceased  or  not ;  whether  our 
government  might  or  might  not  have  brought  it  to  a  speedy 
termination ;  or  whether  they  have  done  their  duty  towards 
lis  since  they  involved  us  in  this  war.  These  are  solemn 
questions  which  will  one  day  be  agitated,  and  which  must  b^; 

39 


306  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Ciur.  14. 

answered  hereafter.  The  present  inquiry  is,  Will  we  defend 
our  country,  our  city,  our  property,  and  our  families  ?  Will 
we  go  forth  to  meet  and  repel  the  enemy?  We  recommend 
to  the  whole  militia  of  the  city,  to  keep  themselves  in  com- 
plete readiness  for  service,  ready  to  march  at  a  moment's 
warning ;  and  to  all  our  citizens,  a  cheerful  proffer  '  their 
services  to  aid  by  voluntary  labour,  in  the  completion  of  the 
works  of  defence  necessary    for  the    safety   of  the   city." 

This  animating  address  called  forth  the  energies  of  the  citi- 
zens. A  loan  of  a  million  of  dollars  was  subscribed  for  the 
immediate  wants  of  the  city ;  and  people  of  every  de- 
scription contributed  their  labour.  On  the  4th  of  September, 
a  respectable  number  of  ladies,  among  whom  were  several 
matrons  of  distinction,  crossed  over  to  Brooklyn,  and  forming 
a  procession  at  the  ferry,  proceeded  to  fort  Greene,  accom- 
panied by  the  music  of  the  Tammany  society,  their  numbers 
increasing  on  their  march,  to  about  three  hundred,  and  per- 
formed a  tour  of  labour  on  the  fortifications. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  a  requisition  from  the  President  was 
made  on  the  states  most  exposed  for  a  corps  of  ninety-three 
thousand  five  hundred  militia,  with  a  request  to  the  executives 
to  hold  in  readiness  for  immediate  service,  their  respective  de- 
tachments and  to  fix  on  the  places  of  rendezvous  with  a  view 
to  the  most  exposed  points. 

Arrival  of  the  British  Reinforcements  at  Bermuda,  On  the 
29th  of  May,  the  flower  of  lord  Wellington's  army,  which  had 
previously  been  employed  in  the  seige  of  Bayonne,  embarked 
at  Bordeaux,  under  the  command  of  General  Ross,  with  seve- 
ral ships  of  the  line,  frigates,  and  transports,  for  the  American 
service.  At  the  same  time,  another  large  detachment  fro.ti 
the  troops  in  the  south  of  Spain,  for  the  same  object,  sailed 
from  the  Mediteri-anean.  These  squadrons  arrived  at  Bermu- 
da, the  place  of  general  rendezvous,  the  last  of  July.  Here 
they  found  Admiral  Cochrane  waiting  their  arrival,  to  direct 
their  future  naval  operations. 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  307 

British  enter  the  Chesapeake,  On  the  3d  of  August,  the  whole 
of  the  Bordeaux,  and  about  half  the  Mediterranean  armament, 
with  an  additional  squadron  then  at  Bermuda,  composing  a 
fleet  of  sixty  sail,  under  Admiral  Cochrane,  with  a  land  force 
of  six  thousand,  commanded  by  Major  General  Ross,  sailed 
from  Bermuda  for  the  Chesapeake,  and  entered  the  bay  on 
the  10th  of  August.  The  other  division  of  the  Mediterranean 
armament,  proceeded  to  join  Sir  George  Prevost  in  Canada. 
The  fleet  proceeded  up  the  bay  to  the  mouth  of  the  Potomac, 
when  a  squadron  under  Commodore  Gordon  entered  that 
river,  and  advanced  towards  Alexandria.  The  principal  part 
of  the  fleet,  with  the  land  forces,  continued  their  course  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Patuxent,  and  entered  the  river  on  the  18th. 

Commodore  Barney's  flotilla  of  gun-boats,  had  previously 
entered  that  river  and  retired  as  far  up  as  the  depth  of  the 
water  would  admit.  The  British  fleet  proceeded  up  the  river, 
and  on  the  19th  commenced  landing  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Patuxent,  at  Benedict,  forty  miles  from  Washington.  On  the 
20th,  the  troops  commenced  their  march  up  the  river  ;  on 
the  21st,  reached  Nottingham;  and  on  the  22d,  Upper  Marlbo- 
rough. Commodore  Barney's  flotilla  had  reached  Pig  Point, 
two  miles  above  Marlborough,  where,  finding  it  impossible  to 
save  his  gun-boats,  or  prevent  their  falling  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy,  he  blew  them  up,  and  proceeded  to  join  General 
Winder. 

British  land  at  Benedict.  The  object  of  the  armament  under 
Admiral  Cochrane  was  the  destruction  of  the  American  navi- 
gation, and  the  plunder  and  devastation  of  all  the  assailable 
points  on  the  coast.*  This  flotilla  of  gun-boats  was  the  most 
considerable  object  in  the  Chesapeake,  and  their  retreat  into 
the  Patuxent,  first  led  the  British  to  that  point.  After  they 
were  destroyed,  the  admiral  and  general,  learning  at  Marlbo- 
rough the  defenceless  state  of   Washington,  determined  on 

*  Admiral  Cochrane's  letter,  Aug^ust  18thj  1814. 


308  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  14. 

their  extraordinary  and  hazardous  visit  to  that  city.*  These 
unfortunate  gun-boats,  on  which  the  country  once  relied  toF 
defence,  invited  the  enemy  to  the  neighbourhood  of  the  capi- 
tal, and  occasioned  its  destruction. 

Assembling  of  the  American  Forces.  On  the  19th,  Colo- 
nel Monroe,  with  Captain  Thornton's  troop  of  horse,  recon- 
noitred the  enemy  at  Benedict.  On  the  20th,  the  George- 
own,  and  Washington  city  militia  commenced  their  march  to- 
wards Benedict,  and  encamped  about  four  miles  from  the 
eastern  branch  bridge  on  the  road  to  Upper  Marlborough.. 
On  the  21st,  the  marines  from  the  navy  yard,  under  Colonel 
Miller,  joined  the  militia  and  marched  to  the  wood  yard, 
twelve  miles  from  the  city.  Here  they  were  joined  by  the  regu- 
lars of  the  36th  and  38th  regiments,  and  encamped  for  the  night. 
Colonels  Monroe  and  Beall  joined  the  army  at  the  wood-yard 
that  night,  having  returned  from  reconnoitering  the  enemy, 
and  reported  that  there  were  twenty-seven  square  rigged  ves- 
sels at  Benedict,  and  that  the  enemy's  force  might  be  es- 
timated at  six  thousand.  Captain  Herbert  joined  with  his 
troops,  and  Colonel  Laval  with  two  companies  of  cavalry .^ 
Early  on  the  morning  of  the  22d,  a  light  detachment,  con- 
sisting of  the  36th  and  38th  regiments,  under  Colonel  Scott, 
Colonel  Laval's  cavalry,  and  three  companies  under  Major 
Peter,  from  the  brigade  of  General  Smith,  were  ordered  out 
as  an  advance  guard,  to  meet  and  harass  the  enemy  on  their 
march.  This  detachment  proceeded  on  the  road  towards 
Nottingham,  while  the  main  body  took  a  position  on  an  ele- 
vated piece  of  ground  about  a  mile  in  advance  of  the  wood- 
yard.  General  Winder  with  his  stall',  accompanied  by  the 
secretary  of  state,  proceeded  to  reconnoitre.  The  dragoons 
preceding  the  detachment,  met  the  advance  of  the  enemy, 
and  retired  back  to  the  detachment,  which  then  fell  back  to  the 
main  body.  Finding  the  enemy  had  taken  the  route  by 
Upper  Marlborough,  General  Winder  fell   back  to  the  bat- 

*  Narrative  of  the  campaign  of  1814,  by  a  British  officer. 


Siil4.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  309 

talion  old  fields,  eight  miles  from  Marlborough,  and  the  same 
distance  from  Washington.  Late  in  the  evening  of  the 
22d,  the  President,  the  secretaries  of  war  and  navy,  and  the 
attorney  general,  joined  General  Winder  at  the  battalion 
old  fields,  and  remained  on  the  ground  until  the  evening 
of  the  23d,  when,  from  an  apprehension  of  a  night  attack, 
it  was  concluded  to  abandon  that  position,  and  retire  to  the 
eastern  branch  bridge.  General  Winder's  army  was  mus- 
tered and  reviewed  by  the  President  on  the  morning  of  the 
23d.  It  then  consisted  of  four  hundred  horse,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Tilghman,  four  hundred  regular  troops,  un- 
der Colonel  Scott  ;  six  hundred  marines  and  flotilla  men,  un- 
der Commodore  Barney,  and  Captain  Miller,  with  five  pieces 
of  heavy  ordnance,  and  eighteen  hundred  militia  ;  forming  an 
aggregate  of  three  thousand  two  hundred  men,  with  seventeen 
pieces  of  artillery.  The  general  staff  consisted  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  as  captain  general,  the  secre- 
taries of  state,  war,  and  navy ;  the  attorney  general,  and 
Brigadier  General  Winder.  At  Bladens burgh.  General  Stans- 
bury  had  arrived  from  Baltimore  on  the  22d  with  his  brigade 
of  drafted  militia.  The  5th  regiment,  consisting  of  the  elite 
of  the  Baltimore  city  brigade,  under  Colonel  Sterrett,  a  bat- 
talion of  riflemen,  under  Major  Pinckney  ;  and  Myers's  and 
Magruder's  companies  of  artillery,  with  six  field-pieces,  ar- 
rived on  the  23d. 

On  the  18th,  General  Van  Ness,  of  the  Virginia  militia, 
ordered  General  Young  to  call  out  the  whole  of  his  brigade, 
including  the  Alexandria  militia,  and  to  be  subject  to  the  or- 
ders of  General  Winder.  Two  troops  of  cavalry  attached  to 
this  brigade,  were  ordered  to  rendezvous  at  Bladensburgh,  to 
accompany  the  secretary  of  state,  and  be  subject  to  his  order. 
On  the  22d,  General  Young,  by  order  of  the  commanding 
general,  marched  his  brigade,  consisting  of  four  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  with  three  brass  field  pieces,  and  took  a  position 
on  a  height  near  the  head  of  Piscataway  creek,  three  miles  in 
the  rear  of  fort  Washington.     This  disposition  was  intended 


310  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  14, 

to  aid  in  the  defence  of  the  fort,  and  the  city  of  Alexandria, 
or  to  join  General  Winder,  as  circumstances  might  require. 
This  brigade  remained  in  this  position  until  the  morning  of 
the  24th,  when  orders  were  given  General  Young  to  march  to 
the  eastern  branch  bridge  to  support  General  Winder,  which 
were  soon  afterwards  countermanded,  and  the  general  or- 
dered to  cross  the  Potomac,  by  which  means  the  service  of 
this  corps  was  lost.  Colonel  Minor,  with  a  regiment  of  Vir- 
ginia militia,  composed  of  six  hundred  infantry,  and  one  hun- 
dred cavalry,  arrived  at  Washington  on  the  evening  of  the 
23d,  unequipped,  and  reported  himself  to  the  President, 
who  referred  him  to  the  secretary  at  war  for  orders.  The 
secretary  informed  him  that  arms  and  ammunition  could  not 
be  obtained  from  the  arsenal  that  evening,  but  referred  him 
to  Colonel  Carbury  for  supplies  the  next  morning.  Colonel 
Carbury  was  not  to  be  found,  having  gone  out  to  his  country- 
seat  the  preceding  evening  ;  and  it  was  not  until  afternoon  of 
the  next  day,  and  not  until  after  the  battle,  that  access  could 
be  had  to  the  arsenal  for  arms  for  this  regiment. 

Position  of  the  Armies  on  the  23d.  The  invading  army  at 
Upper  Marlborough,  on  the  23d,  did  not  exceed  four  thou- 
sand five  hundred  effective  men,  without  cavalry,  baggage, 
wagons,  or  means  of  transportation,  and  with  but  three 
pieces  of  light  artillery,  drawn  by  men.  The  British  re- 
mained at  Upper  Marlborough  until  the  afternoon  of  the  23d, 
when  they  commenced  their  march  towards  Washington  by 
the  way  of  Bladensburgh.  Colonel  Scott,  and  Major  Peter, 
with  light  detachments,  were  sent  out  to  meet  and  harass  the 
€nemy,  and  General  Stansbury  was  ordered  to  proceed  with 
the  troops  under  his  command,  on  the  route  direct  to  Upper 
Marlborough.  Colonel  Scott,  with  his  detactment,  met  the 
British  about  six  miles  in  advance  of  the  main  body,  and  after 
some  skirmishing,  retreated.  The  American  army  at  the 
battalion  old  fields,  were  placed  in  a  favourable  attitude  of 
defence;  they  remained  in  their  position  until  evening, 
when,  apprehending  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  they  were 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  311 

ordered  to  march  to  Washington.  The  British  encamped 
that  evening  three  miles  in  front  of  the  position  which  the 
Americans  had  left.  The  retreat  of  the  American  troops 
towards  the  city  was  precipitate  and  disorderly,  believing  the 
enemy  to  be  in  close  pursuit.  The  secretary  of  state,  passing 
through  Bladensburgh  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night,  advised 
General  Stansbury  immediately  to  fall  upon  the  British  rear, 
as  he  understood  they  were  in  full  march  to  Washington. 
The  general  having  been  ordered  by  the  commander  in  chief, 
to  take  post  at  Bladensburgh,  and  a  part  of  his  brigade 
having  but  just  then  arrived,  w^as  not  in  a  situation  to  comply 
with  the  wishes  of  the  secretary ;  and  the  British  remaining 
quietly  in  their  encampment  during  the  night,  such  a  move- 
ment would  have  been  fruitless. 

Position  of  the  Americans  on  the  ^Ath.  The  retreating 
army  halted  and  bivoua  :ked  for  the  night  at  the  eastern 
branch  bridge.  Here  General  Winder,  on  the  morning  of  the 
24th,  established  his  head-quarters  with  the  main  body,  con- 
sisting of  three  thousand  five  hundred  men.  General  Stans- 
bury four  miles  in  front  at  Bladensburgh,  with  twenty-five 
hundred ;  Colonel  Minor  with  seven  hundred  in  the  city  of 
Washington ;  endeavouring  to  get  across  to  the  arsenal,  and 
General  Young's  brigade  of  five  hundred,  twelve  miles  be- 
low, on  the  left  bank  of  the  Potomac ;  making  an  aggregate  of 
seven  thousand  two  hundred  men.  Various  reports  were 
brought  to  head-quarters  of  the  movements  and  intentions  of 
the  British.  The  President  and  heads  of  department  assem- 
bled at  General  Winder's  head-quarters  in  the  morning  of 
the  24th.  The  secretary  of  state,  upon  hearing  a  report  that 
the  British  were  marching  upon  the  city  by  the  way  of  Bla- 
densburgh, proceeded  to  join  General  Stansbury,  to  aid  him 
in  forming  a  line  of  battle.  That  General,  on  the  approach 
of  the  enemy,  retired  from  his  position  in  advance  of  Bladens- 
burgh, and  occupied  the  ground  west  of  the  village,  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  eastern  branch.     Here  it  was  at  last  resolved 


312  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  U^ 

to  meet  the  enemy,  and  fight  the  battle  that  was  to  decide  the 
fate  of  the  capital. 

Order  of  Battle,  The  front  line  was  formed  by  General 
Stansbury  and  his  officers,  with  the  aid  of  the  secretary  of 
state,  k  consisted  of  Stansbury's  brigade  of  infantry,  Ster- 
rett's  regiment,  including  the  command  of  Major  Pinckncy, 
and  the  Baltimore  artillery.  At  the  village  is  a  bridge  cross- 
ing the  eastern  branch,  from  which  a  turnpike  road  leads 
directly  to  the  city.  About  four  hundred  yards  from  this 
bridge,  and  a  small  distance  to  the  left  of  the  road,  six 
pieces  of  six  pounders,  of  the  Baltimore  artillery,  occupied  a 
temporary  breastwork  of  earth,  well  calculated  to  command 
the  bridge.  Part  of  the  company  of  riflemen  under  Major 
Pinckney,  and  one  other  company,  took  position  on  the  right 
of  the  arfillery,  partially  protected  by  a  fence  and  brush. 
On  the  left  of  the  artillery,  leading  to  a  barn  in  the  rear,  two 
companies  from  the  regiment  under  Colonel  Shultz,  and  the 
other  part  of  the  Baltimore  riflemen  were  posted.  Colonel 
Progan  took  post  in  the  rear  of  Major  Pinekney,  his  right 
resting  on  the  road ;  Colonel  Shultz  continuing  his  line  on 
the  left  with  a  small  vacancy  in  the  centre  of  the  two  regi- 
ments. Colonel  Sterrett  formed  the  extreme  left  flank  of  the 
infantry.  At  this  moment.  Colonels  Beall  and  Hood  entered 
Bladensburgh  with  two  regiments  of  Maryland  militia  from 
Annapolis.  They  immediately  crossed  the  bridge,  and  took 
position  on  a  commanding  height  on  the  right  of  the  turnpike, 
three  hundred  yards  from  the  road,  to  secure  the  right  flank. 
At  eleven  o'clock,  intelligence  reached  General  Winder's 
head-quarters  from  the  reconnoitering  parties,  that  the  British 
were  in  full  march  for  Bladensburgh.  The  whole  main  body, 
except  a  few  men  left  at  the  eastern  branch  bridge  to  destroy 
it,  were  immediately  put  in  motion.  The  march  was  rapid ; 
the  cavalry  and  mounted  men  as  they  arrived,  took  post  on 
the  left  flank.  The  troops  from  the  city  were  formed  as  they 
arrived.  Captain  Birch,  with  three  pieces  of  artillery,  was 
s<^ationed  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  infantry  of  the  first  line, 


iai4.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR;  313 

and  a  rifle  company  near  this  battery  to  support  it.  At  twelve 
o'clock,  the  secretary  at  war,  the  President,  and  the  other 
heads  of  departments,  arrived,  and  examined  and  approved 
the  disposition  of  the  troops.  They  were  proceeding  at  full 
speed  towards  the  point  where  the  enemy  were  advancing, 
when  they  were  stopped  by  Colonel  Simmons,  informed  of 
tlieir  danger,  and  immediately  returned  to  the  city.  This  for- 
tunate circumstance  prevented  the  capture  of  the  American 
President  and  suite.  At  this  moment  the  enemy  entered  Bh^ 
densburgh.  The  officers  were  rapidly  forming  the  second 
line.  Commodore  Barney's  flotilla  men  and  marines  came 
up  at  quick  time,  and  formed  on  the  right  of  the  main  road, 
in  a  line  with  the  Annapolis  militia.  The  heavy  artillery  were 
planted  in  the  road,  and  three  twelve  pounders  to  the  right, 
commanded  by  Captain  Miller,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Kramarj 
with  a  battahon  of  Maryland  militia,  was  posted  in  a  wood  ii) 
advance  of  the  marines,  and  of  Colonels  Beall  and  Hood's 
command.  The  regiment  under  Colonel  Magruder  was 
posted  on  the  left  of  Commodore  Barney,  to  support  his  batte- 
ries. The  regiment  under  Colonel  Brent,  and  Major  Wa^ 
ring's  battalion,  with  some  small  detacljnjents,  formed  the  left 
liank  of  the  second  line,  and  were  posted  in  the  rear  of  Major 
Peter's  battery,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Scott,  with  the  regulars^ 
was  posted  in  advance  of  Colonel  Magruder,  in  a  line  with 
Major  Peter's  battery,  but  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  mask 
it;  other  small  detachments  were  stationed  at  various  points. 
Battle  of  Bladensburgh,  At  half  past  twelve,  before  the 
second  line  was  completely  formed,  the  battle  commenced, 
The  Baltimore  artillery  fired  upon,  and  dispersed  the  British 
light  troops  advancing  along  the  streets  of  the  village.  They 
immediately  took  shelter  behind  the  buildings  and  trees,  and 
presented  only  single  objects  for  the  artillery.  The  ^British 
now  commenced  throwing  rockets,  and  began  to  concentrate 
their  light  troops  at  the  bridge,  which  the  American  general 
had  not  taken  the  precaution  to  destroy.  The  riflemen  and 
artillery  now  poured  in  a  destructive  fire  upon  this  boqiy,  and 


514  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Ohaf.  %4* 

cut  them  down  in  great  numbers  as  they  advanced.  The 
British  at  length  gained  the  bridge,  rapidly  passed  it,  formed, 
and  passed  steadily  on,  flanking  to  the  left,  and  compelled  the 
riflemenj»  and  artillery  to  give  way.  Major  Pinckney  was 
severely  wounded.  He  exerted  himself  to  rally  his  men, 
and  succeeded  in  forming  them  at  a  small  distance  in  the  rear 
of  his  first  position,  and  united  with  the  fifth  Baltimore  regi- 
ment. General  Stansbury  continued  about  four  hundred 
yards  in  the  rear  of  the  battery ;  and  left  this  division  to 
contend  with  the  whole  force  of  the  enemy,  until  it  was  com- 
pelled to  retire.  The  British  then  occupied  the  ground  they 
bad  left,  and  continued  to  advance.  Colonel  Sterrelt,  with 
the  5th  Baltimore  regiment,  and  Captain  Birch  with  his  artil- 
lery, were  ordered  to  advance  to  support  the  first  line.  The 
British  soon  took  advantage  of  the  orchard  which  had  just 
been  occupied  by  the  retreating  troops,  and  kept  up  a  galling 
fire  on  the  American  line.  Captain  Birch  now  opened  a 
cross  fire  with  some  effect.  Colonel  Sterrett  made  a  prompt 
movement  in  advance,  but  was  ordered  to  halt.  At  this  time 
the  enemy's  rockets  assumed  a  more  horizontal  direction, 
and  passing  near  the  heads  of  Colonel  Shultz  and  Pragan's 
regiments,  caused  the  right  wing  to  give  way ;  which  was 
immediately  followed  by  a  general  flight  of  the  two  regi^ 
Kicnts. 

Birch's  artillery  and  the  5th  regiment  remained,  and  con- 
tinned  their  fire  with  eft'ect.  The  British  light  troops  were, 
for  a  short  time  driven  back,  but  immediately  rallied  and 
gained  the  right  flank  of  the  fifth.  This  regiment,  with  the 
artillery,  were  then  ordered  to  fall  back  and  form  a  small  dis- 
tance in  the  rear.  But  instead  of  retreating  in  order,  th(3 
fifth  followed  the  example  of  the  other  two  regiments  and 
fled  in  confusion.  The  whole  of  the  first  fine  was  now  com- 
pletely routed.  Various  attempts  were  made  to  rally,  but 
without  s^uccess.  No  movements  were  made  by  the  cavalry 
to  cover  the  retreat,  though  the  open  and  scattered  manner 
ih  which  the  pursuit  was  conducted  aflbrded  a  fine  opporlu- 


S814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WA».  316 

nity  for  a  charge  by  the  cavahy.  This  line  retreated  upon  a 
road,  which  in  a  short  distance  forked  into  three  branches, 
one  leading  to  Montgomery  court-house,  on  the  Potomac,  fif- 
teen miles  above  Washington,  one  to  Georgetown,  and  the 
"Other  to  the  capital.  General  Winder  endeavoured  to  direct 
the  retreating  forces  to  the  city,  but  without  success ;  when 
they  came  to  the  three  branches,  the  greater  number  took  the 
road  to  Montgomery  court-house,  as  the  place  of  the  great- 
est safety. 

Colonel  Kramar,  stationed  on  the  ri^ht  of  the  road  and  ia 
advance  of  Commodore  Barney,  was  next  driven  from  his 
post  and  retreated  upon  the  troops  of  Colonels  Beall  and 
Hood,  posted  on  an  eminence  on  the  right.  After  this  move- 
ment, the  British  columns  in  the  road  wer-e  exposed  to  an  an- 
imated fire  from  Major  Peter's  artillery,  which  continued  un- 
til they  came  in  contact  with  Commodore  Barney,  Here  they 
sustained  the  heaviest  loss.  When  they  came  in  full  view, 
and  in  sohd  column  upon  the  main  road,  he  opened  upon  them 
an  eighteeen  pounder,  which  completely  cleared  the  road. 
They  made  several  attempts  to  rally  and  advance,  but  were 
as  often  repelled.  This  induced  them  to  flank  off  to  the  right 
of  the  American  lines  to  an  open  field.  Here  Captain  Miller 
opened  upon  them  with  three  twelve  pounders,  with  great  ef- 
fect. The  British  continued  flanking  to  the  right  and  press- 
ed upon  Colonels  Beall  and  Hood's  command.  These 
troops  after  firing  three  or  four  rounds  at  such  distance  as  to 
produce  no  effect,  broke  and  fled.  This  exposed  the  artillery 
of  Barney  and  Miller,  to  the  whole  British  force,  w^ho  soon 
gained  their  rear.  Both  these  officers  were  severely  wounded. 

Cemmodore  Barney  taken.  Commodore  Barney  ordered  a 
retreat,  but  the  British  being  in  his  rear,  he  was  made  prison- 
er. As  he  lay  wounded  by  the  side  of  the  fence,  he  beckon- 
ed to  a  British  soldier,  and  directed  him  to  call  an  officer. 
General  Ross  immediately  rode  up,  and,  on  being  informed 
of  his  character  and  situation,  ordered  his  wounds  to  be  dress- 
ed and  paroled  him.      The  second  line  was  not  entirely  con- 


316  HISTORY  OF  TllE  LATE  WAR.  Chap,  li/ 

nected,  but  posted  in  advantageous  positions  in  connexion 
\vith,  and  supporting  each  other*  The  command  of  General 
Smith,  including  the  Georgetown  and  city  militia,  and  the 
regulars  under  Colonel  Scott,  Etnd  some  other  corps,  still  re^ 
mained  unbroken. 

Retreat  of  the  American  troops.  The  British  light  troops, 
in  the  mean  time  advancing  on  the  left  of  the  roadj  had  gained 
a  line  parallel  with  Smith's  command,  and  were  endeavouring 
to  turn  his  flank*  Colonel  Brent  was  placed  in  a  situation  cal^ 
culated  to  prevent  this  movement.  The  British  continued  their 
march  and  came  within  long  shot  of  Magruder's  command, 
who  opened  a  partial  fire  upon  them.  At  this  moment  th^ 
whole  of  the  troops  were  ordered  to  fall  back  :  after  retreat^ 
ing  about  one  hundred  i^ods,  they  wete  halted  and  formed  by 
theii*  officers^  When  they  were  again  ordered  to  retreat  and 
iand  form  on  the  heights  west  of  the  turnpike  gate,  and  half  a 
mile  in  front  of  the  capitol.  Here  Colonel  Minor,  with  his 
regiment  of  Virginia  militia,  having  spent  the  day  in  the  city, 
endeavouring  to  get  access  to  the  arsenal  for  supplies  for  his 
troops,  came  up  and  joined  General  Smith.  While  in  the  act 
of  forming  upon  these  heights,  General  Winder  arrived  and 
ordered  th;^  troops  to  retire  to  the  capitol  in  expectation 
of  there  uniting  with  the  first  line  ;  but  these  troops,  except- 
ing one  company  of  Colonel  Laval's  cavalry,  were  not  to  be 
found  on  capitol  hill. 

City  evacuated,  A  conference  was  immediately  held  be- 
tween General  Winder  and  the  secretaries  of  state  and  Wan 
that  it  would  be  impossible  in  thr  existing  state  of  things  to 
make  effectual  resistance  against  the  invasion  of  the  city,  or 
defend  the  capitol ;  the  whole  force  was  then  ordered  to  quit 
the  city  and  retreat  through  Georgetown  to  a  place  of  safety. 
On  receiving  this  order,  the  troops  then  remaining  manifest- 
ed the  deepest  regret*  They  consisted  principally  of  the 
Georgetown  and  city  militia,  who  had  not  had  an  opportunity 
of  signalizing  themselves  in  defence  of  their  fire-sides  ;  to 
leave  them  without  a  struggle,  an  unresisting  prey  to  the  ene- 


mi,  HisTORV  or  TMhAri  war  317 

my,  was  more  than  they  could  endure.  That  order  which 
they  had  heretofore  observed,  was  entirely  destroyed  ;  some 
went  home,  some  went  in  pursuit  of  refreshments,  and  those 
that  remainfed  in  a  body  gave  themselves  up  to  those  feelings 
which  fatigue,  exhaustion,  and  disappointment  produced.  An 
attempt  was  made  to  rally  the  troops  at  Tenleytown  but  with 
little  success.  The  few  that  were  there  collected,  marched 
five  miles  up  the  Potomac  ;  and  early  in  the  morning  of  the 
^5th,  orders  Were  given  for  the  assembling  the  troops  at 
Montgomery  court-house,  and  on  the  26th,  General  Winder, 
with  the  troops  there  assembled,  took  up  their  line  of  march 
for  Baltimore* 

The  President  and  heads  of  departments,  after  their  nar- 
row escape  at  Bladensburgh,  concluded  to  leave  the  remain- 
ing events  of  the  day  to  the  direction  of  General  Winder,  and 
returned  to  the  city*  Judging  that  the  American  officers,  on 
Iheir  return  from  the  field  of  batUe,  would  need  refreshments, 
the  President  had  ordered  an  elegant  entertainment  prepared 
for  them  at  his  house.  As  soon  as  it  was  determined  that  the 
city  was  not  to  be  defended,  the  cabinet  retired  to  Mont- 
gomery court-house*  '      : 

Washington  occupied  hy  the  British,  In  the  mean  time,  the 
British  advanced  from  Bladensburgh  without  further  opposi* 
tion ;  and  at  eight  o^clock  in  the  evening  General  Ross  en- 
tered the  city  at  the  head  of  eight  hundred  men  ;  having  ar- 
rived on  capitol  hill,  he  offered  terms  of  capitulation,  which 
were,  that  the  city  might  be  ransomed  for  a  sum  of  money 
nearly  equal  to  the  value  of  the  public  and  private  property 
it  contained  ;  and  that  on  receiving  it,  the  troops  should  retire 
to  their  ships  unmolested. 

Washington  burned.  There  being  neither  civil  nor  mili- 
tary authorities  in  the  city,  to  W'hom  the  propositions  could 
be  made,  the  work  of  conflagration  commenced.  The  capi- 
tol, the  President's  house^  the  offices  of  the  treasury,  war,  and 
navy  departments,  and  their  furniture,  with  several  private 
buildings,  were  destroyed.      The   party  sent  to   burn   the 


318  lUSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  14. 

President's  house,  entered  it  and  found  in  readiness  the  enter- 
tainment which  had  been  ordered  for  the  American  officers. 
In  the  dining  hall  the  table  was  spread  for  forty  guests,  the 
sideboard  furnished  with  the  richest  liquors,  and  in  the 
kitchen  the  dishes  all  prepared.  These  uninvited  guests  de- 
voured the  feast  with  little  ceremony,  ungratefully  set  fire  to 
the  building  where  they  had  been  so  liberally  fed,  and  return- 
ed to  their  comrades.  One  house  from  which  General  Ross 
apprehended  himself  to  have  been  shot  at,  was  burned,  and 
all  the  people  found  in  it  slain.  The  most  important  public 
papers  had  been  previously  removed.  The  navy-yard  with 
its  contents,  and  apparatus,  one  frigate  of  the  largest  class 
on  the  stocks,  and  nearly  ready  to  launch,  and  several 
smaller  vessels  were  destroyed  by  Commodore  Tingey,  under 
the  direction  of  the  secretary  of  the  navy,  after  the  capture  of 
the  city. 

Estimated  Loss.  The  loss  of  the  United  States,  as  esti- 
mated by  a  committee  of  the  senate,  was,  in  the  capitol  and 
other  public  buildings  460,000 

At  the  navy  yard,  in  moveable  property  417,745 

In  buildings  and  fixtures  1^11-1  t4,j{_'lii-^  ^,^i^^  91,425 

g969,170 

To  this  estimate  is  to  be  added  the  loss  of  the  public  library, 

furniture,  and  other  articles  not  included  in  the  foregoing ; 

making  the  whole  public  loss  somewhat  to  exceed  a  million 

of  dollars. 

British  retreat  and  re-embark.  The  British  having  ac- 
comphshed  the  object  of  their  visit,  left  the  city  on  the  25th 
and  passed  through  Bladensburgh  at  midnight,  on  the  route 
to  Benedict.  They  left  their  dead  unburied ;  such  of  their 
wounded  as  could  ride,  were  placed  on  horseback;  others 
in  carts  and  wagons,  and  upwards  of  ninety  left  behind. 
The  wounded  British  prisoners  were  intrusted  to  the  humanity 
of  Commodore  Barney,  who  provided  every  thing  for  their 
comfort;  and  such  as  recovered  were  exchanged,  and  re- 


1«14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  319 

lurned  to  the  British.  Two  hundred  pieces  of  artillery  at 
the  arsenal  and  navy  yard  fell  into  their  hands,  which  they 
were  unable  to  remove  ;  these  they  spiked,  knocked  off  the 
trunions,  and  left.  Their  retreat,  though  unmolested, 
was  precipitate,  and  conducted  under  evident  apprehensions 
of  an  attack.  They  reached  Benedict  on  the  29th,  and  em- 
barked on  the  30th. 

British  Loss.  The  British  loss,  from  the  time  of  their  land- 
ing until  their  embarkation,  was  estimated  at  one  hundred 
and  eighty  killed,  and  three  hundred  wounded.  General 
Ross  states  their  loss  to  be  only  fifty-six  killed,  and  one 
hundred  and  fifty-five  wounded. 

.American  Loss.  The  American  loss  was  twenty  killed, 
and  forty  wounded.  Indeed,  it  seems,  with  some  exceptions, 
to  have  been  the  principal  object  of  those  engaged  in  the 
defence  of  the  capitol,  to  "  keep  out  of  harm's  way." 

The  capture  of  the  city  of  Washington,  containing  at  that 
time  about  ten  thousand  inhabitants,  was  of  no  greater  conse- 
quence in  the  ultimate  issue  of  the  contest,  than  that  of  any 
other  town  of  the  same  magnitude ;  but,  as  it  was  the  seat  of 
the  general  government,  great  eclat  on  the  part  of  the  British, 
and  much  chagrin  and  disappointment  on  the  part  of  the 
Americans  was  attached  to  that  event.     The  destruction  of 
the  arsenal,  navy  yard,  military  and  naval  stores,  and  all 
public  property  connected  with  the  operations  of  the  war, 
was  the  legitimate  and  expected  consequence  of  the  victory  ; 
but  the    conflagration   of  the  capitol,  public  offices.  Presi- 
dent's  house,  private  dwellings,   the   library,  and   national 
archives,  unauthorized  by  the  laws  of  civilized  war,  stamped 
its  authors  with  lasting  infamy.  Having  given  such  a  character 
to  the  war.  General  Ross  appeared  with  a  very  ill  grace, 
soliciting  the  clemency  of  the  very  people   whom  he   had 
abused  in  behalf  of  the  hundred  wounded  prisoners  whom  his 
precipitate  retreat  from  Washington  obliged  him  to  leave  at 
their  mercy.     The  humanity  of  the  Americans,  however,  for- 
bade their  visiting  on  these  unfortunate  prisoners  the  crimc?^ 


320  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  14; 

of  their  general.  Such  instances  of  wanton  barbarity  united 
every  heart,  and  strengthened  every  arm  in  defence  of  the 
country ;  and  this  was  happily  the  last  opportunity  which 
this  plundering  army  enjoyed  of  pillaging  and  burning  an 
American  city. 

Capture  of  Alexandria,  The  defence  of  the  cities  of  Alex- 
andria, Washington,  and  Georgetown,  against  an  attack  by 
water,  depended  principally  on  fort  Washington,  erected  on 
Mason's  island,  six  miles  below  Alexandria,  On  the  1 1th  of 
May,  a  deputation  from  these  cities  waited  on  the  secretary  at 
war,  and  unitedly  represented  to  him  the  necessity  of  further 
works  at  this  post ;  in  consequence  of  which,  Colonel 
Wadsworth  of  the  engineers,  by  order  of  the  secretary, 
visited  the  works  with  the  committee,  and  reported  that  the 
battery  at  fort  Washington  was  in  such  a  state,  and  so  effectu- 
ally commanded  the  channel,  that  it  was  not  to  be  apprehend- 
ed the  enemy  would  attempt  to  pass  it,  while  its  present  de- 
fences remained  entire.  Its  elevated  situation  prevented  ^ 
cannonade  from  the  ships.  In  case  of  a  design  against  the 
District  of  Columbia,  the  engineer  remarked,  an  assault  by 
land  was  most  probable;  to  guard  against  which,  he  recom- 
mended some  inconsiderable  works  in  the  rear  ;  no  additional 
fort  in  the  neighbourhood  was  deemed  necessary.*  The 
works  on  the  24th  of  August  were  garrisoned  by  eighty  men, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Dyson,  who  had  received  or- 
ders from  General  Winder  to  station  patroles  on  every  road 
leading  to  the  garrison,  and  in  the  event  of  being  approached 
in  the  rear,  to  blow  up  the  fort,  and  retreat  across  the  river. 
On  the  27th,  the  squadron  under  Commodore  Gordon,  con- 
sisting of  two  frigates,  four  rocket  ships  and  bomb  vessels, 
and  one  schooner,  which  had  entered  the  Potomac  on  the  1 7th, 
and  made  their  way  thus  far  up  the  river,  appeared  approach- 
ing the  fort ;  Captain  Dyson  immediately  blew  it  up  and 
.crossed  with  the  garrison  to  the  Virginia  shore.  While  Ad- 
miral Cockburn,  under  whose  orders  Commodore   Gordon 


rolonel  Wadsworth'F  report  to  the  secret ary  «t  wai 


nu.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  321 

atted,  was  at  Washington  with  General  Ross,  the  civil  author- 
ities of  Alexandria  sent  a  deput,ation  to  inquire  of  him,  what 
treatment  was  to  be  expected  in  the  event  of  that  city's  fall- 
ing into  his  hands  ;  the  admiral  assured  them,  that  private 
property  should  be  respected,  and  that  what  provisions  might 
be  wanted,  would  be  fairly  paid  for.  This,  in  some  measure 
quieted  the  fears  of  the  citizens.  On  the  28th,  after  the 
squadron  had  passed  Mason's  island,  the  deputation  proceed- 
ed to  visit  Commodore  Gordon,  to  inquire  his  intentions  in 
relation  to  the  city.  He  declined  answ^ering  them  then,  but 
said  he  would  inform  them  when  he  arrived  opposite  the  town  ; 
assuring  them,  however,  that  the  persons,  houses,  and  furni- 
ture, of  the  citizens,  should  be  unmolested  if  he  met  with  nd 
opposition.  On  the  29th,  the  British  squadron  drew  up  in 
line  of  battle  before  the  town  ;  and  a  communication  senf 
from  the  commandant  of  the  squadron,  to  the  city  authori- 
ties, in  answer  to  their  application  for  favourable  terms  ;  pro- 
posing that  the  town,  with  the  exception  of  the  public  works, 
should  not  be  destroyed,  nor  the  inhabitants  molested,  or  their 
dwellings  entered,  unless  hostilities  were  commenced  on  the 
part  of  the  Americans,  if  the  following  articles  were  complied 
with  : 

Capitulation,  1st.  All  naval  and  ordnance  stores,  public 
and  private,  to  be  immediately  delivered  up.       i  ;    f*  ,  ru 

2d.  Possession  to  be  immediately  given  of  all  the  shipping, 
and  their  furniture  sent  on  board  by  the  owners,  without  de- 
lay. 

3d.  The  vessels  that  had  been  sunk  to  be  raised  and  de- 
livered up,  in  the  state  they  were  in  on  the  19th  of  August. 

4th.  Merchandise  of  every  description  to  be  immediately 
delivered  up,  including  such  as  had  been  removed  from  the 
city  since  the  19th  of  August.  , 

5.  Refreshments  of  every  kind  to  be  supplied  for  the  ship% 
and  paid  for  in  bills  on  the  British  government. 

41 


322  HISTORV  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  ChAp.  1  4 

6th.  Officers  to  be  appointed  to  see  the  foregoing  articles 
fulfilled,  and  any  deviation  on  the  part  of  the  citizens  to  ren-' 
der  the  treaty  void.* 

The  inhabitants  were  allowed  one  hour  to  consider  and  an- 
swer these  propositions.  It  was  stated  to  the  British  officer 
bearing  the  flag,  that  the  corporation  possessed  no  power  to 
compel  the  return  of  merchandise  which  had  been  carried  into 
the  country,  or  to  oblige  the  citizens  to  assist  in  raising  the 
sunken  vessels  ;  and  these  points  were  given  up.  To  an  in- 
quiry, as  to  what  was  included  in  the  term  merchandise  in  the 
capitulation,  it  was  answered,  that  it  would  embrace  all  such 
as  were  intended  for  exportation,  such  as  cotton,  tobacco, 
flour,  and  bale  goods. 

City  plundered.  To  these  harsh  and  disgraceful  terms, 
the  unprotected  state  of  Alexandria  obliged  the  citizens  to 
submit.  The  capitulation  was  signed,  and  a  scene  of  indis- 
criminate plunder  ensued.  Three  ships,  three  brigs,  and 
several  bay  and  river  craft  were  taken  and  loaded  with  plun- 
der, and  several  vessels  burned.  Sixteen  thousand  barrels 
of  flour,  one  thousand  hogsheads  of  tobacco,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  bales  of  cotton  and  several  thousand  dol- 
lars in  value  of  wines  and  sugars  rewarded  these  marauders. 
While  they  were  loading  the  vessels,  Captains  Porter  and 
Creighton  of  the  navy,  rode  up  to  a  British  midshipman,  who 
was  superintending  the  loading  of  a  boat,  seized  him  by  the 
collar,  and  were  about  to  take  him  off".  An  alarm  signal  was 
immediately  given  on  shore  to  all  employed  on  the  wharves, 
who  immediately  embarked,  and  preparation  was  made  for  an 
assault.  The  inhabitants,  apprehending  the  immediate  de- 
struction of  the  town,  sent  a  deputation  to  the  commanding 
officer,  stating  that  the  act  was  unauthorized  by  them,  and  not 
done  by  any  inhabitant  of  the  place  ;  and  assuring  him  that 
guards  should  be  placed  at  the  intersection  of  each  street 
leading  to  the  water,  to  prevent  similar  occurrences  in  future. 
On  this  representation  the  commodore  consented  to  overlook 


1814.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  32^ 

^  it,  and  tranquillity  was  restored.  The  British  squadron, 
having  completed  its  object  at  Alexandria,  commenced  its 
return. 

Measures  to  obstruct  the  return  of  the  Squadron.  A  series 
of  powerful  exertions  were  made  by  Commodores  Rodgers, 
Porter,  and  Perry,  with  the  men  under  their  command,  aided 
by  the  Virginia  militia,  to  interrupt  their  passage  down  the 
river.  Porter  and  Perry  proceeded  to  take  the  most  com- 
manding stations,  and  erect  batteries  on  the  river  bank,  while 
Rodgers  prepared  a  flotilla  of  fire  ships  and  boats  to  attack 
them  in  rear. 

Porter  took  a  station  at  the  white  house  on  the  west  bank. 
On  the  evening  of  the  first  of  September,  he  arrived  on  the 
ground  with  the  secretary  of  state,  and  Generals  Hungerford 
and  Young,  and  immediately  proceeded  to  clear  the  ground, 
and  prepare  for  mounting  the  cannon,  then  momently  ex- 
pected from  Washington.  The  militia  were  ordered  to  take 
post  in  the  woods  on  the  high  banks  of  the  river,  to  annoy 
the  enemy  with  their  musketry  as  they  passed.  At  the  first 
moment  of  Commodore  Porter's  arrival,  an  eighteen  gun  brig 
was  seen  approaching  the  pass.  General  Hungerford  imme- 
diately took  post  with  his  militia  in  the  wood ;  and  two  small 
pieces  arriving  at  the  same  time,  were  planted  on  the  edge  of 
the  bank,  and  opened  a  brisk  fire.  As  the  brig  came  abreast 
of  the  battery,  being  favoured  with  a  fine  breeze,  she  fired 
one  broadside,  and  passed  on.  The  militia  followed  some 
distance  along  the  bank,  firing  at  the  men  on  deck.  On  the 
same  evening,  two  eighteen  pounders  arrived,  and  augmented 
the  battery.  The  next  morning  a  bomb  ship  and  two  barges, 
one  carrying  a  long  thirty-two  pounder,  and  the  other  a  mor- 
tar, commenced  an  attack  on  the  battery.  The  bomb  ship 
anchored  out  of  the  reach  of  the  guns,  and  commenced  throw- 
ing shells.  The  two  barges  at  the  same  time  flanking  the 
battery  on  the  right.  The  firing  continued  all  day  without 
intermission,  and  with  little  injury  to  the  Americans.  In  the 
afternoon.  Commodore  Porter  removed  one  of  his  eighteen 


394  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  14,. 

pounders  to  a  more  commanding  position,  where  he  could 
reach  the  enemy's  ship.  On  the  3d,  the  British  were  rein- 
forced by  another  bomb  ship  and  a  sloop  fitted  up  as  a  rocket 
vessel.  On  the  whole  of  this  day,  and  the  succeeding  night, 
the  ships,  kept  up  a  constant  fire  of  shot,  shells,  and  rockets. 
In  the  course  of  the  day,  the  prizes  laden  with  the  plunder  of 
Alexandria  arrived,  and  anchored  out  of  the  reach  of  the  guns. 
Five  additional  field  pieces  arrived  from  Washington,  and  a  fur- 
nace for  heating  shot  was  erected.  A  constant  fire  was  kept 
up  from  the  ships  during  the  fourth  and  fifth.  One  attempt 
was  made  to  land  which  was  prevented  by  the  pickets.  The 
rocket  ship  lying  close  in  shore,  was  much  cut  up  by  a  twelve 
pounder,  which  had  been  removed  to  a  position  on  the  bank, 
so  as  to  reach  her.  On  the  5th,  several  thirty-two  pounders, 
two  mortars,  and  a  supply  of  ammunition  arrived  from  Wash- 
ington ;  carpenters  had  arrived  and  were  employed  in  mount- 
ing the  guns,  and  every  preparation  was  made  to  prevent  the 
passage.  On  the  same  evening  the  two  frigates  arrived,  and 
anchored  above  the  battery.  The  whole  British  force  now 
consisted  often  vessels,  mounting  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
tkree  guns.  The  battery  had  thirteen  mounted  guns  ;  the 
two  mortars  and  all  the  thirty-two  pounders  were  destitute 
of  carriages.  At  twelve  o'clock,  on  the  6th,  the  two  frigates 
got  under  weigh,  with  the  tide  and  a  fair  wind,  and  stood  down 
for  the  battery,  the  other  vessels  following  in  succession.  On 
observing  the  vessels  to  be  getting  under  weigh.  Commodore 
Porter  despatched  an  officer  to  general  Hungerford,  request- 
ing him  to  resume  his  position  in  the  woods,  to  annoy  the 
enemy  with  his  musketry  ;  but  from  the  distance  of  his  camp 
and  the  rapid  approach  of  the  British,  he  was  unable  to 
march  before  the  firing  commenced,  and  after  that  period, 
the  shot,  shells,  and  rockets,  which  showered  over  the  hills 
fi'om  the  ships  and  fell  among  his  troops,  prevented  their 
approach.  The  whole  of  the  British  force  now  anchored 
abreast  of  the  battery,  and  by  shifting  their  ballast  brought 
^lieir  guns   to   beer.     Commodore  Porter  kept  up  a  well 


1S14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  225 

ilirected  fire  of  hot  shot  on  their  approach,  and  for  an  hour 
after  their  anchoring,  when  finding  himself  completely  over- 
powered, he  retired  behind  a  hill  on  his  left.  The  ships  im- 
mediately weighed  anchor,  and  passed  on,  pom-ing  their 
broadsides  on  the  battery,  and  into  the  neighbouring  woods, 
as  they  passed.  A  company  of  Virginia  riflemen  on  the 
i'ight,  and  of  militia  on  the  left,  annoyed  the  enemy-s  decks 
with  considerable  effect.*  After  the  smaller  ships  had  passed, 
the  frigates  proceeded  down  the  river  and  anchored  abreast 
of  the  Indian  head.  Commodore  Porter  launched  a  torpedo 
after  the  ships,  which  exploded  at  nine  o'clock  without  effect. 
Commodore  Perry  had  taken  post  at  the  Indian  head,  and 
erected  a  battery  of  one  eighteen  pounder,  and  several  sixes; 
with  these  he  kept  up  a  well  directed  fire  on  the  ships  as 
they  passed,  and  sustained  their  fire  for  an  hour,  when  finding 
all  his  efforts  unavailing,  he  retired  out  of  the  reach  of  the 
British  fire,  and  the  squadron  passed  on  to  the  bay  without 
further  opposition. 

While  these  transactions  were  taking  place  in  front,  Com- 
modore Rodgers  was  operating  with  his  fire  ships  on  their 
rear.  On  the  3d,  he  proceeded  from  Washington  down  the 
river,  with  three  fire  ships,  the  object  of  which  was  to  destroy 
the  two  frigates  and  a  bomb  ship,  which  lay  three  miles  be- 
low Alexandria.  He  conducted  the  fire  ships  within  range 
of  musket  shot,  and  fired  them;  but  the  wind  faihng,  the  ob- 
ject was  defeated.  A  second  attempt  was  made  on  the  4th, 
when  the  Commodore  proceeded  down  the  river  with  another 
fire  ship,  and  came  within  a  mile  of  the  enemy's  sternmost 
vessels  just  at  the  time  they  had  succeeded  in  silencing 
Commodore  Porter's  battery ;  here  the  ship  was  fired  and 
drifted  down  towards  the  squadron,  but  without  any  success- 
ful issue. 

The  invasion  of  the   district  of  Columbia,  the   capture  of 
the  cities  of  Washington  and  Alexandria,  and  the  destruction 

*  Commodore  Porter's  letter  to  the  secretary  of  the  navy. 


226  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  14. 

of  the  public  and  private  property,  with  so  little  injury  to  the 
invaders,  and  in  so  short  a  period,  filled  the  people  of  the 
United  States  with  surprise  and  regret.  The  events  of  the  last 
twelve  days  of  the  month  of  August  could  scarcely  be  credited. 
The  site  of  the  city  of  Washington  had  been  selected  for  the 
capital  of  the  United  States,  as  a  place  of  perfect  security.  Here 
the  united  wisdom  and  military  skill  of  the  nation  were  sup- 
posed to  be  centered.  On  the  24th  of  August,  the  President 
as  commander  in  chief  of  the  military  of  the  United  States, 
had  at  his  command,  a  regular  army  of  forty  thousand  men, 
and  eight  hundred  thousand  militia  ;  any  or  all  of  whom  he 
had  power  to  order  to  the  defence  of  the  capital.  Within  the 
compass  of  fifty  miles,  the  distance  which  General  Ross's  army 
marched  from  their  place  of  landing  to  reach  the  city,  was  a 
population  of  two  hundred  thousand,  itself  furnishing  a  force 
of  at  least  twenty  thousand  men,  capable  of  bearing  arras, 
whose  property,  families,  and  fire-sides  were  exposed :  to 
which  may  be  added,  upwards  of  a  thousand  regular  troops, 
stationed  at  different  points  in  the  district ;  an  arsenal,  sup- 
phed  with  munitions  of  war,  sufficient  to  arm  any  force  that 
might  be  called  in  ;  an  immense  public  and  private  property 
to  be  defended,  and  the  national  honour  and  character  to  be 
protected  from  insult  in  the  capitol.  Posterity  will  hardly 
credit  the  story,  that  in  such  a  state  of  things,  a  British  force 
of  four  thousand  five  hundred  men  landed  at  Benedict,  and 
after  a  deliberate  march  of  fifty  miles,  occupying  five  days' 
time,  put  to  flight  the  President,  the  heads  of  departments, 
the  commanding  general  of  the  district,  and  all  opposing 
force,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  24th  entered  the  city,  de- 
stroyed the  capitol,  and  plundered  and  destroyed  all  the  pub- 
lic, and  as  much  private  property  as  they  chose  ;  commenced 
their  return  on  the  25th,  and  reached  their  ships  on 
the  29th,  and  re-embarked,  without  opposition:  that  two 
frigates  and  half  a  dozen  small  craft  should  ascend  the 
Potomac  two  hundred  miles;  pass  a  fort  without  oppo- 
sition, erected  on  a  commanding  position,  expressly  for^  the 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  327 

purpose  of  protecting  the  district  and  capitol ;  compel  the 
principal  city  to  accept  a  most  humiliating  capitulation,  and 
submit  to  be  rifled  by  a  contemptible  squadron.  The  events 
of  this  period  will  be  the  less  credited,  when  contrasted  with 
the  invasion  and  capture  of  General  Burgoyne  in  1777,  when 
a  British  general  with  double  the  force,  venturing  only  about 
the  same  distance  from  his  ships  into  a  country  very  sparsely 
inhabited,  was  surrounded  and  captured  with  his  whole  army. 

Report  of  Committee  of  Investigation*  Early  in  the  ses- 
sion of  Congress  immediately  succeeding  these  events,  a  com- 
mittee of  the  house  of  representatives  was  appointed  to  in- 
quire into,  and  report  the  causes  that  led  to  them.  The  com- 
mittee investigated  and  reported  all  the  facts  connected  with 
the  subject,  with  great  accuracy  and  minuteness  ;  and  re- 
marked that  in  their  opinion,  the  means  authorized  for  the 
security  for  the  10th  military  district  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  in  a  cabinet  council  of  the  1st  of  July,  were 
ample  and  sufficient,  as  to  the  extent  of  the  force,  and  sea- 
sonable as  to  the  time  when  the  measures  were  authorized. 
Having  exculpated  the  President,  they  leave  it  to  Congress 
and  the  nation  to  draw  their  own  conclusions  from  the  facts 
detailed  by  the  committee.* 

These  facts  very  much  divide  and  equalize  the  blame 
among  the  different  actors.  Public  sentiment,  however,  at 
Washington,  laid  much  the  greater  share  of  it  upon  the  secre- 
tary at  war ;  and  obliged  him  to  resign.  On  the  29th  of 
August,  the  President  informed  him,  that  a  high  degree  of  ex- 
citement had  been  raised  among  the  militia  of  the  District  of 
Columbia ;  one  officer  of  that  corps  had  given  notice,  that 
he  would  no  longer  obey  any  order  coming  through  General 
Armstrong  as  secretary  at  war ;  and  that  he  must  so  far  yield 
to  this  impulse,  as  to  permit  some  other  person  to  perform  the 
duties  of  that  office,  in  relation  to  the  defence  of  the  district.. 


*  Report  of  the  coramittee  of  investigation. 


328  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chai^.  U, 

To  this  proposition  the  secretary  replied,  that  the  excite- 
ment was  without  foundation,  proceeding  from  vile  and  prof- 
ligate motives  ;  that  he  should  never  consent  to  surrender  a 
part  of  his  legitimate  authority  for  the  sake  of  preserving  the 
residue  •,  and  that  if  the  President's  decision  was  taken  in 
conformity  to  the  suggestions  he  had  made,  he  wished  him  to 
accept  his  resignation.  This  was  offered  and  accepted,  and 
the  duties  of  the  office  of  secretary  at  war,  temporarily  in- 
trusted to  the  secretary  of  stale. 

Causes  of  the  Capture  of  Washington,  After  the  lapse  of 
ten  years,  the  causes  which  produced  these  unfortunate  result«r 
may  be  more  distinctly  observed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
principal  facts  and  portrayed  with  less  injury  to  individual 
reputation.  They  may  be  classed  under  three  heads  ;  a  foil- 
ure  of  seasonably  obtaining  the  requisite  number  of  militia ; 
want  of  system  in  the  plan  of  defence  ;  and  want  of  courage. 

Late  arrival  and  insufficient  numbers  of  the  Militia,  Of  the? 
fifteen  thousand  militia  destined  for  the  defence  of  Washington^ 
five  thousand  were  to  be  drawn  from  Pennsylvania.  The 
orders  for  this  purpose  issued  from  the  war  office  on  the  1 7th 
of  July,  but  did  not  reach  General  Winder  until  the  8th  of 
August,  nor  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania  until  the  23d  ;  there 
was  of  course  a  total  failure  of  that  corps.  Despatches  on 
which  the  safety  of  the  capital  might  essentially  depend,  ought 
not  to  be  trusted  to  the  uncertainty  and  irregularity  of  mails^ 
The  militia  regulations  of  Pennsylvania  were  at  this  period 
in  such  a  situation,  that  the  orders  could  not  have  probably 
been  complied  with,  had  they  been  seasonably  received  5  but 
this  fact  ought  to  have  been  known,  and  the  deficiency  sup- 
plied from  some  other  source.  Nearly  one  half  of  the  other 
requisitions  failed  of  being  complied  with,  so  that  instead  of 
fifteen  thousand,  the  commanding  general  had  at  no  time, 
more  than  about  six  thousand  militia  at  his  command  :  the 
late  arrival  of  these  rendered  their  services  of  little  value. 
To  have  made  them  effectual,  they  should  have  been  on  the 
ground  at  least  several  days  for  the  purpose  of  being  mustered, 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  329 

armed,  disciplined,  and  taught  what  was  expected  from  them. 
Some  of  the  Maryland  corps  had  been  on  the  ground  two 
days,  some  arrived  on  the  evening  before,  and  some  only 
half  an  hour  previous  to  the  battle.  The  other  militia  were 
equally  late.  It  is  evident  that  different  bodies  of  men,  thus 
hastily  called  from  their  occupations,  and  unacquainted  with 
each  other,  were  illy  qualified  to  meet  a  veteran  foe  in  the 
open  field.  Most  of  the  Virginia  militia  were  not  in  season 
to  take  any  part  in  the  action.  The  unaccountable  neglect 
at  the  arsenal,  which  prevented  Colonel  Minor's  corps  from 
obtaining  suppUcs,  greatly  contributed  to  the  misfortunes  of 
the  day.  An  addition  of  six  hundred  infantry  and  one  hun- 
dred cavalry  at  Bladensburgh  at  twelve  o'clock  on  the  24th, 
would  probably  have  produced  a  very  different  result.  But 
Colonel  Cranberry  was  at  his  country-seat,  and  General 
Armstrong  did  not  see  fit  to  attend  to  the  delivery  of  the  sup- 
plies himself,  and  the  troops  were  detained  from  the  field. 
Why  the  corps  under  General  Young,  stationed  a  few  miles 
below  the  city,  was  not  ordered  up  for  its  defence,  is  a  ques- 
tion which  has  never  been  answered.  In  a  case  of  so  much 
urgency,  it  was  expected  that  the  energies  of  the  nation  would 
have  been  put  forth,  to  call  a  sufficient  armament  seasonably 
into  the  field.  If  militia  were  not  to  be  procured  in  one 
place,  they  might  have  been  in  another,  and  the  district  de- 
fended. 

Want  of  a  System  of  Defence^  Another  very  operative 
cause  of  the  misfortunes  of  the  day  was  the  want  of  a  sys- 
tematic plan  of  defence.  In  making  arrangements  for  meet, 
ing  the  enemy,  some  eligible  position  should  have  been  taken 
between  Benedict  and  Washington  ;  the  forces  there  concen- 
trated, formed,  and  prepared  for  action.  Some  rallying  point 
should  also  have  been  fixed  on,  and  clearly  understood  by  all 
the  troops,  to  which  they  were  to  be  conducted  in  case  of  de- 
feat. Where  the  point  should  have  been,  for  the  ultimate 
meeti  ng  of  the  enemy,  and  the  decision  of  the  fate  of  the  capitol, 
was  perhaps  of  less  consequence,  than  that  one  should  have 


336  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  14. 

been  somewhere  fixed.  Had  the  iniHtia  been  seasonably 
assembled,  perhaps  the  most  eligible  place  would  have  been 
in  the  forests  through  which  the  enemy  had  to  pass  from 
Benedict  to  Marlborough  ;  where  their  road  might  have  been 
abatted,  and  the  militia  and  riflemen  have  been  eminently  use- 
ful. It  was  here  the  British  expected  the  first  rencontre  with  the 
Americans,  and  proceeded  with  the  utmost  caution ;  but  the 
lateness  of  the  arrival  of  the  militia  prevented  such  an 
arrangement.  The  first  position  taken,  with  a  view  to  meet 
the  enemy,  was  at  the  battalion  old  fields;  but  this  was  aban- 
doned without  attack  on  the  evening  of  the  23d,  and  the  main 
body  precipitately  hurried  to  the  eastern  branch  bridge.  It 
appears  not  to  have  been  determined  to  make  a  stand  at  Bla- 
densburgh  until  the  enemy  were  in  full  march,  and  within 
a  few  miles  of  that  point.  The  arrangements  were  then  very 
hastily  made,  and  the  main  body  which  had  been  harassed 
by  a  precipitate  retreat  the  evening  before,  were  now  hurried 
back  to  the  scene  of  action,  and  had  not  time  to  form  before 
the  battle  commenced ;  and  the  first  line,  not  being  effectually 
supported  by  the  reserve,  was  thrown  into  confusion,  and  fled, 
their  officers  knew  not  where,  not  having  fixed  any  rallying 
point  for  their  re-assembling.  Probably  the  very  circum- 
stance which  was  much  relied  on  for  the  defence  of  the  city, 
that  the  commanding  general  would  be  assisted  by  the  mili- 
tary talents  of  the  cabinet,  was  a  principal  cause  of  the  de- 
feat. It  distracted  his  measures,  lessened  his  responsi- 
bility, and  subjected  him  to  continual  embarrassment. 

Want  of  courage  in  the  troops  en^gaged,  has  been  assigned 
as  another  cause  of  the  unfortunate  events  of  the  25th.  Where 
so  great  an  object  was  at  stake,  and  the  balance  of  numbers 
and  preparation  evidently  on  the  side  of  the  Americans,  the 
public  had  a  right  to  expect  that  the  contest  would  not  have 
been  given  up,  without  a  much  more  severe  struggle.  It  is 
not  however  intended,  that  there  was  any  extraordinary  de- 
ficiency of  bravery  in  these  troops,  more  than  in  others,  called 
together  under  like  circumstances.  Assembled  in  the  moment 


i014,  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  331 

of  action,  unacquainted  with  each  other,  uninstructed  in  the 
duties  of  the  field,  and  disheartened  by  a  precipitate  retreat, 
the  result  may  be  accounted  for  without  imputing  to  this  corps 
any  innate  want  of  courage.  The  committee  of  investigation 
cxpHcidy  declare  that  General  Winder  conducted  with  firm- 
ness and  bravery  during  the  engagement,  and  that  he  and  the 
other  officers  used  every  exertion  to  rally  the  troops,  and 
prevent  the  flight. 

The  safety  of  the  cities  on  the  Potomac  above  fort  Wash- 
ington depended  entirely  upon  that  garrison.  When  it  was 
known  that  a  naval  force  had  entered  the  river  for  the  avowed 
purpose  of  attacking  the  district  of  Columbia,  it  was  to  have 
been  expected  that  the  fort  would  have  been  put  in  a  com- 
plete state  of  defence,  the  garrison  increased,  and  orders 
given  to  defend  it  to  the  last:  instead  of  this  it  was  but  illy 
supplied,  garrisoned  only  by  a  captain's  command,  and  or- 
ders given  to  abandon  it  on  the  approach  of  danger.  This 
at  once  exposed  the  cities  bordering  on  the  river  above  to  the 
ravages  of  the  enemy.  Captain  Dyson,  the  commandant,  was 
indeed  arrested,  tried  by  a  court  martial,  convicted,  and  cash- 
iered. Still  a  great  share  of  the  blame  of  abandoning  that 
position  attaches  itself  to  higher  authority. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Atlmiiral  Cochraile's  Letter,  threatening  to  lay  waste  the  Coast.— The 
Secretary's  Reply. — The  President's  Proclamation. — Baltimore  threa- 
tened.— Plan  of  Defence. — Landing  of  the  British  on  the  Patapsco. — 
Geileral  Ross  slain. — Battle  of  the  12th  September. — British  re- 
tconnoitre  the  American  Lines  and  retreat. — Re-embark. — 'Attack  on 
Fort  M'Henry* — Brave  Defence. — -British  repulsed.— Proceed  down 
the  Bay. — Leave  the  Chesapeake. — Burning  the  Shipping  at  Petti- 
paug. — Attack  on  Stonington. — Gallant  Defence.— Capture  of  East- 
port. — Castine,  and  the  Eastern  Coast. — Destruction  of  the  Frigate 
Adams, — Plunder  of  the  Towns  on  the  Coast  of  Massachusetts. 

Admiral  Cochrane' s  Threats,  On  Admiral  Cochrane's  ar- 
i'iVal  in  the  Chesapeake,  he  was  joined  by  Admiral  Cock- 
burn's  squadron  of  three  ships  of  the  line,  several  frigates, 
and  smaller  ships  of  war,  which  had  been  pursuing  the  same 
system  of  plunder  and  rapine,  for  several  months  on  the 
counties  bordering  on  the  bay,  which  they  had  practised  the 
preceding  season.  The  whole  fleet  now  consisted  of  sixty 
sail. 

That  the  government  and  country  might  be  at  no  loss  what 
species  of  warfare  was  intended  to  be  carried  on  by  this  ar- 
aiament,  the  admiral  addressed  a  note  to  the  secretary  of 
state,  dated  the  18th  of  August,  declaring  that  he  had  been 
called  upon  by  the  governor  general  of  the  Canadas,  to  aid 
him  in  carrying  into  effect  measures  of  retaliation  against  the 
inhabitants  of  the  United  States,  for  the  wanton  destruction 
committed  by  their  army  in  Upper  Canada  ;  and  that  in  com- 
pliance therewith  he  should  issue  orders  to  the  naval  force 
under  his  command,  to  destroy  and  lay  waste  such  towns 

AND    districts    ON    THE    COAST  AS    MIGHT  BK    FOUND  ASSAILA- 
BLE. 

He  proceeds  to  remark,  with  an  affected  air  of  humanity, 
that  he  had  hoped  this  contest  would  have  terminated  without 
being  obliged  to  resort  to  severities,  which  are  contrary  to 


334  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  Chap.  14 

the  usage  of  civilized  warfare  ;  that  it  was  with  extreme  re- 
luctance he  had  been  compelled  to  adopt  this  system  of  de- 
vastation, and  hoped  the  executive  of  the  United  States  would 
authorize  the  staying  of  such  proceedings,  by  making  repara- 
tion to  the  suffering  inhabitants  of  Upper  Canada.* 

These  threats  were  not  communicated  to  the  American 
government  until  after  the  events  at  Washington  and  Alexan- 
dria had  shown  the  manner  in  which  they  were  intended  to  be 
executed. 

Secretary'^ s  Reply. — On  the  9th  of  September,  the  secre- 
tary of  state  replied,  that  at  the  commencement  of  the  war, 
the  United  States  had  resolved  to  conduct  it  in  a  manner 
most  consonant  to  the  principles  of  humanity,  and  to  those 
friendly  relations  which  it  was  desirable  to  preserve  between 
the  two  nations  on  the  return  of  peace.  They  perceived, 
however,  with  the  deepest  regret,  that  a  spirit  alike  humane 
and  just,  was  neither  cherished  nor  acted  upon  by  the  British 
government.  Without  dwelling  upon  the  deplorable  cruel- 
ties committed  by  the  savages,  in  the  British  ranks  and  British 
pay,  on  American  prisoners  at  the  river  Raisin,  which  had 
never  been  disavowed  nor  atoned,  the  secretary  referred 
him  to  the  wanton  desolation  committed  at  Havre-de-Grace 
and  Georgetown,  stating,  that  these  villages  were  burned 
and  ravaged  by  the  naval  forces  of  Great  Britain,  to  the  ruin 
of  their  unarmed  inhabitants,  who  saw  with  astonishment 
that  they  derived  no  protection  from  the  laws  of  war ;  that 
during  the  same  season,  scenes  of  invasion  and  pillage  car- 
ried on  under  the  same  authority,  were  witnessed  all  along  the 
shores  of  the  Chesapeake  to  an  extent,  inflicting  the  most  se- 
rious private  distress,  and  under  circumstances  that  justified 
the  suspicion  that  revenge  and  cupidity  led  to  their  perpetra- 
tion ;  the  late  destruction  of  the  houses  of  government  at 
Washington,  is  another  act  which  necessarily  comes  into 
view.     In  the  wars  of  modern  Europe,  no  example  of  the 

"^  Admiral  Cochrane's  letter  to  the  secretary  of  state,  August  18th,  1814. 


1«14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  33^ 

kind,  among  nations  the  most  hostile  to  each  other,  can  be 
traced.  In  the  course  of  ten  years,  most  of  the  capitals  of 
the  principal  powers  of  the  continent  of  Europe  have  been 
conquered  and  occupied  by  the  victorious  armies  of  each 
other,  and  no  instance  of  such  wanton  and  unjustifiable  de- 
struction has  been  seen  ;  resort  must  be  had  to  distant  and 
barbarous  ages  to  find  a  parallel. 

Although  these  acts  of  desolation  incited,  if  they  did  not  im- 
pose on  the  government  the  necessity  of  retaliation  yet  in  no 
instance  had  been  authorized.  The  burning  of  the  village 
of  Newark,  posterior  to  the  outrages  in  1813,  was  not  done 
on  that  principle.  That  village  adjoined  fort  George,  and  its 
destruction  was  justified  by  the  officer  who  ordered  it,  on  the 
ground  that  it  became  necessary  in  the  military  operations  in 
that  quarter.  The  act,  however,  was  disavowed  by  the  gov- 
ernment. The  burning  at  Long  Point  on  lake  Erie  was  un- 
authorized, and  the  conduct  of  the  officer  subjected  to  the  in- 
vestigation of  a  military  tribunal.  For  the  burning  at  St. 
Davids,  committed  by  a  few  stragglers,  the  officer  who  com- 
manded in  that  quarter  was  dismissed  without  a  trial  for  not 
preventing  it.  It  as  Httle  comports  with  any  orders  which 
have  been  issued  to  the  military  and  naval  commanders  of  the 
United  States,  as  it  does  with  the  established  and  known  hu- 
manity of  the  American  nation,  to  pursue  a  system  which  the 
British  government  appears  to  have  adopted.  This  govern- 
ment owes  it  to  itself,  and  to  the  principles  which  it  has  ever 
held  sacred,  to  disavow,  as  justly  chargeable  to  it,  any  such 
acts  of  wanton,  cruel,  and  unjustifiable  warfare.  Whatever 
unauthorized  irregularities  may  have  been  committed  by  any 
of  its  troops,  it  would  have  been  ever  ready,  acting  on  the 
principles  of  sacred  and  eternal  obligation,  to  disavow  ;  and 
as  far  as  might  be  practicable,  to  repair.  But  in  the  plan  of 
desolating  warfare,  now  so  explicitly  made  known,  and  at- 
tempted to  be  executed  on  a  plea  so  utterly  groundless,  ap- 
pears a  spirit  of  deep  rooted  hostility,  which,  without  the  evi- 
dence of  such  facts,  would  not  have  been  believed  to  exists 


336  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  15. 

or  to  have  been  carried  to  such  an  extremity.  For  the  repa- 
ration of  injuries  of  whatever  nature  not  sanctioned  by  the 
laws  of  civilized  nations,  which  the  military  or  naval  force  of 
either  power  may  have  committed  against  each  other,  this 
government  will  always  be  ready  to  enter  into  reciprocal  ar- 
rangements, and  it  is  presumed  the  British  government  will 
neither  expect,  nor  propose  any  other.* 

To  this  letter  Admiral  Cochrane,  on  the  19th  of  September, 
answered,  that  he  had  no  authority  to  enter  upon  a  discussion 
of  the  points  therein  contained  :  that  there  did  not  appear  to 
be  any  hope  that  he  should  be  authorized  to  recall  the  gen- 
eral order  he  had  issued :  that  he  should  forward  a  copy  of 
the  letter  to  his  government,  and  until  he  received  instructions 
to  the  contrary,  the  measures  he  had  adopted  would  be  per- 
sisted in,  unless  remuneration  be  made  to  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Canadas  for  the  outrages  committed  on  them  by  the  troops 
of  the  United  States.* 

These  threats  were  carried  into  execution  by  a  series  of 
disgraceful  plunder  and  pillage  on  those  accessible  points  in 
the  Chesapeake  which  had  escaped  the  ravages  of  the  last 
season ;  and  awakened  in  the  citizens  on  the  sea-board,  appre- 
hensions of  the  most  alarming  kind.  They  were  now  called 
upon  to  defend  their  property,  their  families,  and  fire-sides, 
from  immediate  destruction. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  the  President  returned  to  Wash- 
ington ;  and  from  the  ruins  of  the  capitol,  issued  a  proclama- 
tion giving  publicity  to  Admiral  Cochrane's  letter  ;  stating 
that  the  conduct  of  the  British  left  no  prospect  of  safety  to 
any  thing  within  the  reach  of  his  predatory  and  incendiary 
operations,  but  in  a  manful  and  united  determination  to  chas, 
tise  and  expel  the  invader ;  urging  all  the  citizens  of  the 
United  States  to  unite  their  hearts  and  hands  in  giving  eftect  to 
the  ample  means  possessed  for  that  purpose  ;  enjoining  all 

*  Secretary  of  state  to  Admiral  Cochrane,  September  9th,  1814. 
''  Admiral  Cochrane  to  the  secretary  of  state,  Sept.  19th,  1814. 


1«14,  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  337 

officers  civil  and  military  to  exert  themselves  in  executing  the 
duties  with  which  they  were  respectively  charged  *,  and  re- 
quiring the  officers  commanding  the  military  districts  to  be 
vigilant  and  alert  in  providing  for  iheir  defence  ;  and  author- 
izing them  to  call  to  the  defence  of  threatened  and  exposed 
places,  portions  of  the  militia  most  convenient  thereto,  wheth- 
er they  were  parts  of  the  detached  quotas  or  not.  The  pro- 
clamation concludes  with  observing  that  on  an  occasion  that 
appeals  so  forcibly  to  the  proud  feelings  and  patriotic  devo- 
tion of  the  American  people,  none  will  forget  what  they  owe 
to  themselves,  to  their  country,  and  to  the  high  destinies  which 
await  it,  what  to  the  glory  of  their  fathers  in  establishing  that 
independence  which  is  now  to  be  maintained  by  their  sons, 
with  the  augmented  strength  and  resources  with  which  hea- 
ven has  blessed  them.*  The  governors  of  Pennsylvania, 
Virginia,  and  New-Jersey,  issued  addresses  to  their  respective 
citizens  breathing  the  same  spirit  5  ordering  their  militia  to 
hold  themselves  in  immediate  readiness,  directing  detachments 
to  march  to  the  most  exposed  points,  and  calling  on  volun- 
teers to  defend  their  country.  These  patriotic  addresses 
were  answered  by  voluntary  offers  of  service  in  many  in- 
stances, more  than  were  required. 

Attempt  on  Baltimore,  After  the  successes  at  Washington 
and  Alexandria,  the  next  and  most  inviting  object  for  British 
cupidity  was  the  city  of  Baltimore.  General  Ross,  elated  with 
his  recent  success,  boasted  that  he  would  make  that  city  his 
winter  quarters,  and  that  with  the  force  under  his  command  he 
could  march  where  he  pleased  in  Maryland.  On  the  10th  of 
September,  the  British  forces  appeared  ascending  the  bay,  in  a 
direction  towards  Baltin^ore.  On  the  11th,  fifty  sail  consisting 
of  several  ships  of  the  line,frigates,and  transports,withsix  thou- 
sand men,  entered  the  mouth  of  the  Patapsco  ;  and  early  in  the 


*  President's  proclamation,  Sept.  1st,  1814. 
43 


33a  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  1^ 

morning  of  the  12th,  commenced  landing  at  North  Point,  four- 
teen miles  below  the  city. 

Defence  of  the  City.  The  defence  was  intrusted  to  Major 
General  Smith,  of  the  Maryland  militia,  assisted  by  General 
Winder  and  all  theUnited  States  troops  which  had  been  recent- 
ly engaged  at  Washington,  and  supported  by  all  the  mihtia  of 
Baltimore  and  the  neighbouring  country,  the  whole  composing 
a  force  of  fifteen  thousand.  Every  citizen  of  Baltimore  capable 
of  bearing  arms  appeared  in  the  ranks,  ready  to  sacrifice  his  hfe 
in  defence  of  the  city.  The  point  selected  by  General  Smith, 
where  the  ultimate  defence  was  to  be  made,  was  upon  the 
heights  three  miles  in  advance  of  the  city  towards  the  mouth  of 
the  Patapsco.  Here  the  citizens  with  great  labour  had,  under 
the  direction  of  their  general,  erected  strong  fortifications.  The 
general,  with  the  main  body,  took  post  at  this  point  with  a  heavy 
park  of  artillery.  General  Strieker,  with  the  city  volunteers 
and  militia,  to  the  number  of  three  thousand  five  hundred,  was 
posted  four  miles  in  advance  at  the  head  of  long  log  lane,  his 
right  on  the  head  of  a  branch  of  Bear  creek,  his  left  on  a 
marsh,  and  the  artillery  posted  at  the  head  of  the  lane.  Th^* 
rifle  corps  were  stationed  in  the  low  thick  pines,  in  advance. 
General  Strieker  was  ordered,  in  case  of  an  attack  by  a 
superior  force,  to  fall  back  on  the  main  body.  In  this 
position  the  Americans  waited  the  approach  of  the  enemy. 
The  whole  population  of  the  city  came  out  to  witness, 
the  event  on  which  their  safety  depended,  and,  on  the  neigh- 
bouring heights,  animated  their  brethren  in  arms.  The  Brit- 
ish, having  completed  the  debarkation  by  seven  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  took  up  their  line  of  march  for  the  city.  The  41st 
regiment  in  advance,  followed  by  eight  pieces  of  artillery, 
next  the  second  brigade,  then  the  sailors,  and  last  the  third 
brigade.  The  march  of  the  main  body  was  preceded  by 
blank  patroles,  and  reconnoitering  parties. 

Bailie  at  Long  Log  Lane.  In  this  order  they  approached 
the  American  lines.  General  Ross,  with  a  small  reconnoi- 
tering party,  half  a  mile  in  advance  of  the  main  body,  was 


1814*.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAH.  S39 

shot  through  the  breast  by  a  rifleman,  fell  into  the  arms  of  hii? 
aid-de-camp,  and  died  in  a  few  minutes.     By  this  event,  the 
command  devolved  on  Colonel  Brook,  of  the  44th;    who, 
after  the  troops  had  recovered  from  the  shock  occasioned  by 
the  loss  of  their  leader,  led  them  on  in  order  of  battle.     The 
advance  of  General  Strieker,  consisting  of  cavalry  and  rifle- 
men, under  Major  Heath,  were  first  met  by  the  enemy,  and 
after  some  skirmishing,  fell  back  on  the  line.     The  main  body 
of  the  British  were  but  a  short  distance  in  rear  of  their  ad- 
vance ;  and  as  they  came  up,  the  action  immediately  became 
general.     The  attack  commenced  by  a  discharge  of  rockets 
from  the  British,  and  was  soon  succeeded  by  grape,   canister, 
and  small  arms  from  both  sides.  General  Strieker  maintained 
his  position  against  a  great  superiority  of  numbers  for  an  hour 
and  an  half,  when  the  regiment  on  his  left  giving  way,  he  was 
obhged  to  retire  to  a  position  in  the  rear  where  he  had  sta- 
tioned one  regiment  as  a  reserve.     Here  the   troops   were 
formed,  with  the  reserve,    and  without  further  molestation 
from  the  British,  fell  back  to  Worthington  mills  on  the  left, 
and  half  a  mile  in  advance  of  the  main  body.     On  the  night 
of    the     12th,    the   British  bivouacked  in  advance  of   the 
battle  ground  ;  and  on  the  morning  of  the  13th,  commenced 
their  march  towards  the  city.     At  ten  o'clock,  they  appeared 
in  front  of  the  American  lines,  distant  two  miles  on  the  Phila- 
delphia  road.      Here  they  halted,    pushing   their   advance 
within  a   mile   of  the  works ;  where  they  had  a  full  view  of 
the  position  and  defence  of  the  Americans.     They  remained 
on  this  ground,  reconnoitering  the  works,  and  waiting  the 
result  of  the  attack  on  fort  M'Henry  until  one  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  fourteenth,  when  they  commenced  a  retreat 
to  their  shipping,    began  their  embarkation  the  succeeding 
evening,  and  completed  it  the  next  day. 

Attack  on  Fort  JW Henry,  The  entrance  from  the  Patapsco 
into  Baltimore  basin,  or  harbour,  is  by  a  narrow  strait,  the 
passage  of  which  is  defended  by  fort  M'Henry,  two  miles  be- 
low the  city.     The  command  of  this  post  was  intrusted  to 


340  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap,  n. 

Major  Armistead,  of  the  United  States  artillery.  The  garri- 
son, before  the  appearance  of  the  enemy  in  the  Patapsco, 
amounted  to  one  hundred  men ;  on  their  approach,  it  was 
increased  to  a  thousand.  Two  batteries  to  the  right  of  the 
fort  were  erected  on  the  river  to  prevent  the  enemy's  landing 
during  the  night,  in  rear  of  the  town  ;  the  one  called  the  city 
battery,  was  manned  by  Lieutenant  Webster,  with  a  detach- 
ment of  the  flotilla ;  the  other,  denominated  fort  Covington,  by 
a  company  of  sailors,  under  Lieutenant  Newcomb.  The 
British  designed  a  simultaneous  attack  by  land  and  water, 
and  while  the  transports  were  landing  the  troops  at  north 
point,  the  ships  of  war  proceeded  towards  fort  M'Henry.  On 
the  12th,  sixteen  ships,  including  five  bomb  vessels,  drew  up 
in  line  of  battle,  within  two  and  a  half  miles  of  the  fort ;  and 
on  the  13th  at  sunrise,  the  attack  commenced  from  the  bomb 
ships  at  two  miles  distance.  The  regular  artillerists  under 
Captain  Evans,  and  the  volunteers  under  Captain  Nicholson, 
manned  the  batteries  in  the  star  fort.  Captains  Banbury's, 
Addison's,  Rodman's,  Perry's ,  and  Pennington's  commands, 
were  stationed  in  the  lower  works ;  and  the  infantry  under 
Colonel  Stewart,  and  Major  Lane,  were  in  the  outer  ditch 
to  meet  the  enemy  at  his  landing,  should  he  attempt  one. 
The  guns  from  the  fort  were  unable  to  reach  the  British 
ships,  and  left  the  garrison  exposed  to  a  constant  shower  of 
shot  and  shells,  without  being  able  to  do  the  enemy  any 
injury.  At  ten  o'clock,  three  of  the  bomb  ships  took  a  nearer 
position,  on  which  a  brisk  fire  opened  upon  them,  and  com- 
pelled them  to  resume  their  former  station.  At  one  o'clock 
in  the  morning  of  the  14th,  the  British  threw  a  considerable 
force  above  the  main  works,  on  the  right  near  fort  Covington, 
and  commenced  throwing  rockets.  Twelve  hundred  picked 
men  were  detached  with  scaling  ladders,  to  attempt  the  taking 
of  the  fort  by  storm.  As  they  were  af)proaching  the  shore, 
a  fire  opened  upon  them  from  fort  Covington,  and  a  six  gun 
battery.  The  fire  wes  directed  by  the  blaze  of  their  rockets? 
and  the  flashes  of  their  guns.     This  fire  continued  about  two 


1«14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  341 

hours  ;  the  landing  was  prevented,  one  of  the  barges  sunk, 
and  the  others  compelled  to  return.  The  bombardment  con- 
tinued with  very  little  intermission,  from  sunrise  on  the  13th 
to  seven  o'clock  on  the  14th,  when  the  squadron  got  under 
weigh,  and  stood  down  the  river.  Four  hundred  shells  fell 
within  the  fort;  four  men  were  killed,  and  twenty-four 
wounded.  The  officers  and  men  of  the  garrison  did  their 
duty ;  and  by  their  brave  and  judicious  conduct,  the  British 
were  repulsed,  and  the  city  saved  from  pillage. 

In  the  battle  of  the  12th,  the  American  loss  was  twenty- 
four  killed,  one  hundred  aud  thirty-nine  wounded,  and  fifty 
taken  prisoners.  The  British  acknowledge  a  loss  in  the 
same  batde  of  thirty-five  killed,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
one  wounded.  Their  whole  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  and 
missing  in  the  battle,  and  at  the  attack  on  the  fort,  was  esti- 
mated by  the  American  general  at  six  hundred.  The  defeat 
of  the  British  in  their  attempt  on  Baltimore,  was  highly  hon- 
ourable to  General  Smith,  who  planned,  and  conducted  the 
operations,  and  to  the  officers  and  men  engaged  in  the  de- 
fence. It  banished  the  desponding  apprehensions  of  the 
other  exposed  cities,  and  taught  them  that  freemen  in  arms  in 
defence  of  their  country,  are  invincible.  Robert  G.  Harper 
accompanied  General  Strieker  as  a  volunteer,  and  was  found 
in  the  advance  in  the  batde  of  the  12th.  James  L.  Donald- 
son, one  of  the  city  representatives,  was  among  the  slain.  Al- 
most the  whole  loss  fell  on  the  city  brigade,  which  being  com- 
posed of  the  elite  of  the  city,  took  their  stand  in  the  front  line 
at  the  post  of  danger,  and  fought  with  distinguished  bravery 
in  defence  of  their  altars  and  fire-sides.  The  inhabitants 
mourned  the  loss  of  many  of  their  valuable  fellow-citizens, 
and  erected  a  splendid  monument  to  their  memory  in  the 
centre  of  the  city.  After  the  batde,  the  British  land  and  na- 
val commanders,  in  a  council  of  war,  wisely  determined  that 
though  the  city  might  be  taken  by  their  forces,  yet  it  would 
probably  cost  them  more  than  the  object  was  worth;  and 
concluded  to  abandon  it.     They  proceeded  down  the  bay, 


342  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  15; 

and  after  landing  and  pillaging  at  several  points  where  re- 
sistance was  not  to  be  expected,  the  whole  armament  left  the 
waters  of  the  Chesapeake ;  Admiral  Cochrane,  with  a  part  of 
the  squadron,  sailed  for  Hahfax  ;  and  Admiral  Malcomb,  with 
the  remainder,  and  the  land  forces,  for  Jamaica. 

Pettipaug  Point,  The  blockade  of  the  harbour  of  New- 
London  and  the  frigates  United  States  and  Macedonian, contin- 
ued during  the  year  1814.  On  the  7th  otr  April,  a  detachment 
from  the  blockading  squadron  of  six  barges  with  upwards  of 
two  hundred  men,  in  execution  of  the  plan  of  destroying  all 
American  shipping,  proceeded  to  the  mouth  of  Connecticut 
river  and  ascended  it  seven  miles  to  Pettipaug  point,  where 
they  arrived  at  4  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  8th,  and  burn- 
ed twenty-two  vessels  which  had  been  moored  there  as  a  place 
of  safety.  The  village  consisting  of  about  thirty  houses  and 
a  number  of  stores,  was  exposed  to  conflagration  by  the  burn- 
ing of  the  shipping.  Several  houses  took  fire,  but  were  ex- 
tinguished by  the  exertions  of  the  inhabitants  who  remained  in 
the  village,  and  were  suffered  to  put  out  the  fires.  The  pro- 
perty destroyed  was  estimated  at  g  150,000.  The  inhabit- 
ants had  no  notice  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  until  the 
vessels  were  on  fire.  At  ten  o'clock  the  British  left  the  village 
and  proceeded  two  miles  down  the  river,  where  they  lay  until 
evening,  and  then  returned  to  their  ships.  The  militia  col- 
lected in  considerable  numbers  from  the  neighbouring  towns, 
but  were  unable  to  prevent  the  return  of  the  enemy. 

Attack  on  Stonington,  On  the  9th  of  August,  a  detachment 
from  the  squadron  off  New-London,  consisting  of  the  flag  ship 
Ramifies  74,  Pactolus  38,  a  bomb-ship,  and  the  Despatch  brig 
of  22  guns,  appeared  off  Stonington  point.  At  five  o'clock  a 
note  was  addressed  to  the  magistrates  of  the  village  by  the 
commodore,  informing  them  that  one  hour  from  the  receipt  of 
the  note  was  allowed  them  for  the  removal  of  the  unoflfending 
inhabitants  and  their  effects.  The  officer  who  brought  the 
note  was  inquired  of  whether  a  flag  would  be  received  from 
the  magistrates  ;  his  reply  was,  that  no  arrangement  could  be 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  343 

made.  On  being  asked  whether  Commodore  Hardy  had  de- 
termined to  destroy  the  town,  he  rephed,  that  such  were  his 
orders  from  Admiral  Cochrane  5  and  that  it  would  be  done 
most  effectually.  On  receiving  this  communication,  the  vil- 
lage was  thrown  into  the  utmost  consternation.  The  most 
valuable  articles  were  hastily  removed  or  concealed.  The 
sick  and  aged  were  removed,  the  women,  children,  and  inhab- 
itants incapable  of  bearing  arms,  fled  to  the  neighbouring  farm- 
houses. A  few  militia  stationed  at  the  point,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Lieutenant  Hough,  were  placed  in  the  best  positions 
to  give  notice  of  any  attempt  to  land.  A  number  of  volun- 
teers hastened  to  the  battery  on  the  point,  which  consisted  of 
two  eighteens,  and  one  four  pounder  mounted  on  field  carria- 
ges, protected  by  a  slight  breastwork.  An  express  was  im- 
mediately despatched  to  General  Cushing  at  New-London, 
the  United  States  commanding  general  of  the  district,  with  a 
request  for  immediate  assistance.  The  general  considered 
this  as  a  feint  intended  to  mask  a  real  attack  on  fort  Griswold, 
w^hich  commanded  the  harbour  of  New- London  ;  that  the 
object  of  the  enemy  was  to  draw  the  regular  troops  and  mili- 
tia from  that  post,  and  in  the  mean  time  land  a  considerable 
force  at  the  head  of  Mystic,  four  miles  in  the  rear  of  the  fort, 
and  take  it  by  storm.  Having  accomphshed  this  object  they 
could  destroy  or  lay  under  contribution  the  town  of  New-Lon- 
don, and  proceed  up  the  river  and  capture  the  frigates.*  This 
opinion  of  the  general's  was  confirmed  in  consequence  of  the 
squadrons  having  lately  been  reinforced ;  and  a  number  of 
ships  taking  stations  near  Mystic.  Having  these  views  of  the 
designs  of  the  enemy,  General  Cushing  made  correspondent 
arrangements  with  MajorGeneral  Williams,  commander  of  the 
division  of  militia  in  that  district ;  and  orders  were  immedi- 
ately given  for  the  assembling  of  one  regiment  at  the  point  of 
attack  at  Stonington  ;  one  at  the  head  of  Mystic  river  to  pre- 
vent a  landing  for  the  purpose  of  attacking  fort  Griswold  ; 

*  General  Cushing's  letter  to  the  secretary  at  war. 


344  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  Vj. 

one  company  of  artillery  and  one  regiment  of  infantry  at  Nor- 
wich port,  a  few  miles  in  the  rear  of  the  frigates  ;  and  one 
company  of  artillery  and  regiment  of  infantry  for  the  protec- 
tion of  fort  Trumbull  and  the  city  of  New-London.     These 
dispositions  were  promptly  and  zealously  carried  into  effect. 
The  village  of  Stonington  point  consists  of  about  one  hun- 
dred dwelling-houses,  and  a  number  of  stores,  compactly  built 
on  a  narrow  peninsula  extending  half  a  mile,  and  forming  a 
convenient  harbour.     The  attack  commenced  on  this  village 
at  8  o'clock  in  the  evening  by  a  discharge  of  shells  from  the 
bomb-ship,  and  rockets  and  carcases  from  several  barges,  and 
launches  which  had  taken  their  stations  at  different  points. 
The  fire  continued  without  intermission  until  midnight,  and 
was  occasionally  answered  from  the  battery  as  the  light  of 
the  rockets  presented  a  view  of  the  object.     During  this  pe- 
riod, the  non-combatant  inhabitants  of  the  village,  having  taken 
shelter  in  the  neighbouring  houses  and  barns,  were  waiting 
the  event  in  trembling  anxiety  ;  expecting  every  moment  to 
witness  the  conflagration  of  their  dwellings.  At  twelve  o'clock 
the  firing  ceased  ;  no  building  was  consumed,  or  person  in- 
jured.    In  the  course  of  the  night  the  militia  and  volunteers 
assembled   in  considerable   numbers.     At  day-light  on  the 
10th,  the  approach  of  the  British  was  announced  by  a  dis- 
charge of  rockets  from  several   barges  and  a  launch,  which 
had  taken  their  stations  on  the  east  side  of  the  village,  and 
out  of  the  reach  of  the  battery.     A  number  of  volunteers  with 
musketry  and  one  four  pounder  hastened  across  the  point  to 
meet  the  enemy  supposing  they  would  attempt  a  landing  from 
the  barges.     Colonel  Randall  of  the  13ih  regiment,  who  was 
at  this  time  approaching  the  battery  with  a  detachment  of 
militia,  ordered  his  men  to  assist  the  volunteers  in  drawing 
over  one  of  the  eighteen  pounders  to  the  extreme  end  of  the 
point,  the  fire  from  which  soon  compelled  the  barges  to  seek 
their  safety  by  flight :  during  this  time  the  brig  was  working 
up  towards  the  point,and  at  sun-rise  dropped  anchor  within  half 
a  mile  of  the  battery.     This  was  now  manned  only  by  about 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THP:  LATE  WAR.  345 

twenty  men  ;  and  their  ammunition  being  expended,  they 
spiked  the  guns  and  retired.  The  brig  now  continued  delib- 
erately to  pour  into  the  village  her  thirty-two  pound  and 
grape  shot,  and  the  bomb  ship  to  throw  her  shells  for  an  houi* 
without  a  shot  being  returned. 

Repulse.  At  eight  o'clock  a  supply  of  ammunition  having 
arrived,  the  eighteen  pounder  was  drilled,  and  such  an  ani- 
mated and  well  directed  fire  opened  on  the  brig,  that  at  three 
o'clock,  having  received  several  shot  below  her  water  mark, 
end  much  damage  in  her  spars  and  rigging,  she  slipped  her 
cables  and  hauled  off,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  battery.  In 
this  contest  two  Americans  only  were  slightly  wounded.  The 
flag  which  was  nailed  to  the  staft'  on  the  battery  was  pierced 
with  seven  shot ;  the  breast  work  was  considerably  damaged, 
and  six  or  eight  dwelling  houses  much  injured.  Considerable 
bodies  of  militia  arrived  in  the  course  of  the  day  :  and  Briga- 
dier General  Isham  took  the  command.  The  inhabitants  had 
recovered  from  the  consternation  of  the  first  moments  ;  things 
assumed  a  more  regular  and  orderly  aspect.  Every  one  ca- 
pable of  bearing  arms  was  at  the  post  of  danger,  and  the 
others  employed  in  removing  their  effects. 

The  Ramilies  and  Pactolus  now  hauled  up  and  took  stations 
within  two  miles  of  the  village  ;  and  threatened  it  with  instant 
destruction.  The  magistrates  sent  a  deputation  on  board  the 
Ramilies  with  a  note  addressed  to  Commodore  Hardy,  inform- 
ing him,  that  the  town  was  now  cleared  of  unoffending  in- 
habitants in  consequence  of  his  note  of  yesterday,  and  wish- 
ing to  know  his  determination  respecting  the  fate  of  the 
village.  The  deputation  consisting  of  Colonel  Williams 
and  Mr.  Lord,  were  detained  on  board  an  hour,  their  own 
boat  sent  back  ;  and  at  the  expiration  of  the  time,  they  were 
conveyed  in  a  flag  from  the  ship  with  a  note  to  the  magistrates, 
stating,  that  the  deputation  having  given  assurances  that 
no  torpedoes  had  been  fitted  out  from  that  port,  and  having 
engaged  that  none  should  be  in  future,  or  receive  any  aid  fron; 
the  town  j  that  further  hostilities  should  cease,  and  the  villajg*^ 

44 


346  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  15. 

be  spared,  in  case  they  would  send  on  board  his  ship,  by 
eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  11  th,  Mrs.  Stewart,  a  lady 
then  resident  at  New-London,  wife  of  the  late  Britsh  consul 
at  that  place  and  her  family.  But  in  case  of  failure,  he  should 
proceed  to  destroy  the  village  effectually  ;  for  which  he  stated 
that  he  ])ossessed  ample  means.  The  magistrates  and  citi- 
zens of  the  borough  were  in  a  singular  state  of  embarrass- 
ment on  receiving  this  demand ;  being  required  to  procure 
and  send  on  board  the  commodore's  ship,  a  lady  over  whom 
they  had  no  control.  Mrs.  Stewart  was  under  the  protection 
of  the  government  of  the  United  States ;  had  ever  been 
treated  with  respect  at  New-London,  where  she  had  long  re- 
sided ;  her  personal  safety  was  never  in  the  least  at  hazard  ; 
and  her  husband's  application  to  have  his  family  sent  on 
board  the  squadron  had  been  received  by  the  commanding 
general  and  transmitted  to  the  executive,  and  no  doubt  would 
be  granted  ;  but  the  borough  of  Stonington  had  no  concern 
ftr  authority  on  the  subject,  and  possessed  no  powers  to  com- 
ply with  the  required  condition.  At  eight  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing of  the  11th,  the  magistrates,  under  the  direction  of  the 
commanding  general,  sent  a  flag  on  board  the  Ramilies  with 
the  foregoing  representation.  The  commodore  repHed,  that 
he  should  wait  until  twelve  o'clock,  and  if  the  lady  was  not 
then  sent  on  board,  hostilities  would  re-commence.  At  this 
period,  three  regiments  of  militia  had  arrived,  and  the  town 
was  well  secured  against  a  landing.  At  three  o'clock,  the 
bomb-ship  having  taken  a  station  out  of  the  reach  of  the  guns 
of  the  battery,  commenced  throwing  shells  into  the  village 
and  continued  until  evening.  At  sun-rise  on  the  12th,  the 
bomb-ship  renewed  her  operations,  while  the  Ramilies  and 
Pactolus  were  warping  in  ;  at  eight  o'clock  these  ships  open- 
ed their  fire.  This  heavy  bombardment,  continued  until 
noon,  when  the  ships  ceased  firing.  At  four  in  the  afternoon 
i.hey  hauled  oft'  to  their  former  anchorage,  and  the  contest 
ended.  The  Vice  Consul  was  obliged  to  resort  to  other, 
a«d  more  appropriate  measures  to  obtain  his  wife  and  family, 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  347 

than  that  of  desolating  an  unoffending  village.  The  ships 
taking  a  station  out  of  the  reach  of  cannon  shot  from  the  bat- 
tery, the  citizens  were  obliged  to  witness  the  scene  without 
the  power  of  resistance.  The  troops  withdrew  from  the  point 
excepting  a  guard  of  fifty  men,  who  were  kept  to  patrole  the 
streets  and  extinguish  fires.  The  cannon  from  the  battery 
were  ordered  up  to  the  north  end  of  the  point,  to  be  in  readiness 
in  case  of  an  attempt  at  landing ;  this  hazardous  service  was 
performed  by  volunteers  of  the  Norwich  artillery,  who  in^ 
standy  offered  themselves,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant 
Lathrop.  This  party,  though  exposed  the  whole  time  to  the 
enemy's  fire,  accomplished  the  enterprise  without  loss.  Dur- 
ing the  whole  scene  no  lives  were  lost,  and  but  two  or  three 
wounded.  The  houses  were  several  times  set  on  fire  by  the 
rockets  and  shells,  but  were  soon  extinguished  by  the  patrole. 
Many  of  the  buildings  were  much  damaged,  and  (qw  remain 
without  some  marks  of  the  bombardment.  The  judicious 
arrangements  of  general  Gushing,  and  the  spirit  and  alacrity 
with  which  the  militia  turned  out  to  defend  Stonington,  and 
guard  the  other  exposed  points,  prevented  those  ulterior 
operations  of  the  British,  which  w^ere  apprehended  by  that 
general,  and  which  no  doubt,  were  designed  as  the  ultimate 
object  of  the  expedition.  The  citizens  of  Connecticut,  when 
called  upon  to  defend  their  dwellings  from  conflagration- 
manifested  a  Zealand  bravery  worthy  of  freemen  in  defence 
of  their  soil.  The  reception  which  the  British  met  with  at 
Stonington,  deterred  them  from  any  further  attempts  on  the 
coast  of  Connecticut. 

The  constitution  vests  Congress  with  the  power  of  pro- 
viding for  organizing,  arming,  and  disciplining  the  militia, 
for  calling  them  forth  to  repel  invasions,  and  governing  them 
when  in  service,  reserving  the  appointment  of  officers,  and 
the  authority  of  training  the  militia  to  the  states  respectively. 
In  pursuance  of  these  provisions,  general  regulations  had 
from  time  to  time  been  made  by  Congress,  for  organizing  and 
diciplining  the  militia,  and  authorizing  the  President  to  calf 


84i  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WABi.  Chap.  Id^ 

fbr  their  services  in  the  cases  provided  by  the  constitution* 
The  manner  in  which  these  powers  had  been  uniformly  exe- 
cuted, had  been  for  the  President,  through  the  war  depart^ 
ment,  td  require  of  the  commander  in  chief  of  each  state  such 
detachments  of  the  mihtia^  as,  in  the  opinion  of  the  President, 
the  occasion  required.  These  requisitions  had  usually  been 
promptly  complied  with,  and  the  militia  thus  called  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  subject  in  their  general  opera- 
tions to  the  orders  of  the  President,  as  commander  in  chief, 
given  through  the  agency  of  officers  of  his  appointment ;  the 
officers  of  the  line  having  the  immediate  command  of  the 
troops,  being  appointed  under  the  state  authorities.  No  pro- 
vision had  been  made  for  cases  of  non-compliance  with  these 
requisitions.  They  were  of  necessity  addressed  to  persons 
not  deriving  their  appointments  or  powers  from  the  general 
government,  or  amenable  to  it  in  the  discharge  of  their  offi- 
cial duties*  This  singular  principle  of  relying  on  the  co- 
operation 6f  the  state  authorities,  to  carry  into  effect  the 
measures  of  the  general  government,  being  almost  the  only 
relic  of  the  old  confederation,  was  in  several  instances  at- 
tended with  the  most  serious  consequences.  When  a  requi- 
sition was  made  on  Governor  Snyder  for  five  thousand  Penn- 
sylvania militia,  for  the  defence  of  the  capitol ;  the  militia 
laws  of  that  state  were  in  such  a  situation,  that  not  a  soldier 
could  be  obtained  for  the  service  ;  and  of  the  fifteen  thousand 
militia  required  of  the  commanders  in  chief  of  the  neighbour- 
ing states,  for  the  defence  of  the  city  of  Washington,  the 
commanding  general  of  the  district  states,  scarcely  as  many 
hundred  could  be  obtained.  A  division  of  the  militia  of  Ver- 
mont were  ordered  into  service  by  a  United  States  officer* 
Hvithout  an  application  to  the  state  authorities,  to  protect 
Plattsburghj  while  General  Hampton  advanced  to  the  St. 
Lawrence  -,  Governor  Chittenden  considered  this  as  an  in* 
fringement  of  his  constitutional  rights,  and,  as  commander  in 
chief  of  the  militia  of  that  state,  countermanded  the  order. 
When  requisitions  were  made  upon  Governor  Strong,  for  de- 


1814.  lilSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  349 

tachtnents  of  the  militia  of  Massachusetts,  to  defend  the  ex- 
tensive sea-board  of  that  state,  and  to  place  them  under  the 
direction  of  the  commanding  general  of  the  district,  he  refused 
a  comphance.  There  being  no  regular  troops  in  the  vicinity, 
and  no  provision  for  calling  out  the  militia  but  through  the 
agency  of  the  state  authorities,  upon  their  refusal,  the  defence 
of  that  portion  of  the  union  devolved  on  the  slate  government. 
Their  resources  were  altogether  inadequate  to  such  an  object-, 
and  their  sea-board,  especially  the  eastern  section,  left  with- 
out defence,  and  possession  taken  by  the  British  of  such  por- 
tions of  it  as  suited  their  convenience  with  litde  resistance. 

Easlport  taken.  On  the  11th  of  July  a  squadron  under 
Commodore  Hardy  in  the  Ramilies,  with  four  other  ships  of 
war,  and  three  transports,  with  twelve  hundred  troops,  took 
possession  of  Eastport;  the  garrison  consisting  of  fifty  men 
under  Major  Putnam,  with  six  pieces  of  artillery,  surrendered 
without  resistance.  This  town  is  on  Moose  Island,  on  the 
^vestern  side  of  Passamaquoddy  bay,  containing  one  thousand 
inhabitants,  is  the  most  eastern  village  in  the  United  States, 
and  opposite  the  province  of  New-Brunswick.  The  Island 
is  five  miles  long,  and  one  broad.  The  principal  ship  chan- 
nel, half  a  mile  wide,  is  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  island,  be- 
tween that  and  Indian  Island  in  the  British  territory.  The 
British  claimed  Moose  Island  as  belonging  to  the  province  of 
New-Brunswick,  and  proceeded  to  complete  the  fortifications, 
mount  sixty  pieces  of  cannon,  establish  an  arsenal,  and  adopt 
other  measures  indicative  of  a  permanent  possession.  The 
inhabitants  were  required  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  his 
Britanic  majesty  or  quit  the  Island.  Most  of  them  preferred 
the  former.  Several  vessels,  and  goods  to  the  amount  of 
three  hundred  thousand  dollars,  accumulated  there  for  the 
purpose  of  being  smuggled  into  the  United  States,  were  taken 
by  the  British,  and  most  of  them  made  prize  of,  notwithstand- 
ing their  owners  were  ready  to  change  their  allegiance  to 
save  their  property.  This  position,  thus  strengthened,  afford- 
ed a  safe  and  convenient  rendezvous  for  British   shipping. 


350  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap,  li^, 

Commotlore  Hardy,  having  accomplished  this  object,  in  a 
short  period  returned  to  his  station  off  New-London. 

Castinej  ^c.  taken.  On  the  first  of  September,  an  expedi- 
tion, under  Sir  John  Sherbrooke,  governor  of  Nova  Scotia,  and 
Admiral  Griffith,  with  forty  sail,  and  several  thousand  troops, 
entered  the  Penobscot,  took  possession  of,  and  established 
their  head-quarters  at  Castine.  The  small  garrison  with 
which  the  town  was  defended,  discharged  their  guns  on  the 
approach  of  the  British,  blew  up  the  fort,  and  retired.  They 
next  sent  a  detachment  of  six  hundred  men  to  Belfast,  which 
also  submitted  without  resistance,  and  the  following  day  pro- 
ceeded thirty-five  miles  up  the  river  to  Hampden,  to  which 
place  the  American  frigate  Adams,  had  retired  on  their  aj> 
})roach.  Captain  Morris,  prepared  for  defence  by  landing 
his  guns,  and  erecting  batteries  at  a  commanding  point  below 
his  ship.  The  mihtia  assembled  in  considerabte  numbers, 
but  fled  on  the  approach  of  the  enemy.  Captain  Morris  be- 
ing deserted  by  the  militia,  after  a  few  ineffectual  fires,  spiked 
his  guns,  burned  his  stores  and  prize  goods,  blew  up  his 
ship,  and  escaped  with  his  crew  across  the  wilderness  to 
Portsmouth.  The  vessels  captured  in  the  Penobscot,  and 
at  the  neighbouring  ports,  amounted  to  one  hundred  and 
twenty.  The  British  commanders,  having  taken  possession 
of  the  principal  towns  on  the  coast,  published  their  procla- 
mation at  Castine,  declaring  the  conquest  of  all  the  country 
eastward  of  the  Penobscot  to  Passamaquoddy  bay  by  his 
Britanic  majesty's  arms,  requiring  the  inhabitants  of  the  dis- 
trict to  give  up  their  arms,  and  quietly  submit  to  his  majesty's 
government,  promising  on  these  conditions  protection  in  their 
ordinary  pursuits,  assuring  them  that  the  municipal  laws  then 
in  force  should  continue  and  be  executed  by  the  magistrates 
as  heretofore,  until  the  further  order  of  the  British  government. 
The  territory  thus  occupied,  comprehends  forty-two  flourish- 
ing towns,  belonging  to  the  state  of  Massachusetts,  and 
nearly  one  half  of  the  district  of  Maine. 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE   WAR  351 

Plunder  on  the  Coast  of  Massachusetts.  While  these 
transactions  were  going  forward  in  the  province  of  Maine, 
Sir  George  Collier  in  the  Leander,  with  several  other  ships 
of  war,  was  cruising  along  the  coast  of  Massachusetts  proper, 
carrying  into  effect  x4dmiral  Cochrane's  threats,  and  under 
his  orders,  burning  and  destroying  all  the  small  vessels  within 
his  reach,  plundering  the  inhabitants,  and  laying  the  towns 
under  contribution.  At  Sandwich,  two  thousand  dollars  were 
demanded  as  a  ransom  for  the  fishing  vessels  in  that  port ; 
twelve  hundred  for  the  salt  works  at  Eastham,  and  four  thou- 
sand for  those  at  Brewster.  The  inhabitants  along  the  coast 
of  Cape  Cod,  possessing  a  barren  territory,  live  principally 
by  fishing,  and  are  dependent  upon  that  source  to  furnish  the 
means  of  support ;  their  supplies  are  obtained  only  by  water 
carriage  from  other  ports,  where  they  exchange  their  fish. 
On  the  21st  of  September,  Sir  George  addressed  a  note  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Portsmouth  and  its  vicinity,  informing  them 
that  he  prohibited  all  fishing  on  the  banks:  that  every  ves- 
sel curing  fish,  or  having  salt  on  board  for  that  purpose, 
would  be  destroyed :  that  small  vessels  only  with  fresh  fish, 
would  be  permitted  to  enter  the  harbours  on  that  coast;  and 
that  he  should  destroy  all  vessels  exceeding  thirty  tons,  or 
that  should  be  curing  their  fish  in  the  offing.  These  pro- 
ceedings entirely  depriving  the  inhabitants  of  the  means  of 
support,  reduced  the  country  to  the  utmost  distress. 

On  the  29th  of  August,  Admiral  Hotham,  off  Nantucket, 
sent  in  a  flag  to  the  inhabitants  of  that  island,  stating  that  it 
had  been  represented  to  him  that  they  were  much  distressed 
for  want  of  provisions  and  necessaries  of  life,  and  that  he  was 
induced  to  propose  to  them,  that  if  they  would  lay  down  their 
arms,  and  stipulate  not  to  fight  against  his  Britanic  majesty's 
subjects  during  the  war,  he  would  permit  a  certain  limited 
number  of  vessels  to  ply  unmolested  between  the  island,  and 
the  ports  of  the  United  States,  and  those  of  the  British  do- 
minions, for  the  purpose  of  procuring  supplies  for  the  inhabit- 
ants ;  but  that  they  would  not  be  permitted  to  fish  for  cod  oi* 


352  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  15. 

whale,  in  or  near  his  majesty's  dominions.  These  humili- 
ating terms  were  acceded  to  by  the  inhabitants.  Indeed  the 
unprotected  Islands  and  towns  on  the  sea-board  throughout 
the  whole  coast,  were  compelled  to  submit  to  such  conditions 
as  the  British  naval  commanders  saw  fit  to  impose,  which 
were  more  or  less  severe,  as  their  caprice  or  avarice  dictated. 
The  foregoing  examples  furnish  a  correct  specimen  of  the 
privations,  insults,  and  depredations  to  which  they  were 
subjected. 

The  country  was  kept  in  a  state  of  constant  alarm;  the 
militia  being  repeatedly  called  out  to  such  points  as  appeared 
to  be  threatened  :  and  when  called  to  the  defence  of  a  par* 
ticular  place  in  sufficient  numbers  to  protect  it,  a  distant 
town  could  be  threatened,  plundered,  or  laid  under  con- 
tribution before  any  relief  could  arrive.  The  British,  having 
no  other  important  object  for  the  employment  of  their  ma- 
rine during  the  year  1814,  continued  this  harassing  and  pre- 
datory mode  of  warfare  along  the  whole  American  coast. 
These  events,  so  humiliating  to  the  country,  and  distressing 
to  the  immediate  sufferers,  convinced  every  American  of  the 
necessity  of  a  naval  force  adequate  to  the  protection  of  the 
ports  and  waters  of  the  United  States,  and  united  all  parties 
in  measures  adapted  to  that  object.  More  property  was  de^ 
etroyed,  and  injury  sustained  on  the  coast,  for  the  want  of 
such  means  of  defence,  in  a  single  year,  than  would  have 
been  sufficient  to  defray  the  whole  expense. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Naval  Operations  in  1814. — Cruise  of  the  Peacock. — Adams. — Wasp.^ — 
Privateer  General  Armstrong". — Capture  of  the  President. — Cruise 
of  the  Hornet ;  of  the  Constitution. — Number  and  Value  of  Captures 
from  the  British  in  1814. — Number  and  Value  of  Ships  taken  during 
the  War. — General  Result  of  the  Naval  War. 

Naval  Operations,  The  operations  of  the  American  navy 
in  the  year  1814,  were  considerably  diminished  by  the  loss 
of  the  Chesapeake  and  Essex  frigates,  and  the  continued 
blockade  of  the  United  States  and  Macedonian  in  the  port  of 
New-London.  The  same  caution  was  observed  also  this 
season  by  the  British  commanders,  in  avoiding  a  rencontre 
with  the  American  frigates  on  equal  terms.  Notwithstanding 
these  disadvantages,  the  American  naval  character  was  fully 
supported  by  the  skill  and  bravery  of  the  commanders,  and 
their  crews.  In  every  instance  they  sought  a  battle,  when  it 
could  be  had  on  any  thing  like  equal  grounds,  and  their  uni- 
form success  bore  honourable  testimony  to  their  skill  and 
valour.  American  seamanship  was  often  as  fully  put  to  the 
test  in  evading  a  contest,  where  the  superiority  of  their  ene- 
my made  it  an  imperious  duty,  as  in  meeting  him  when  a  com- 
parison of  their  relative  force  justified  a  rencontre.  But  the 
Americans  fought  only  for  honour.  No  success  within  the 
compass  of  human  means  could  make  any  sensible  impression 
on  the  thousand  ships  of  the  British  navy.  On  the  contrary, 
every  loss  on  the  part  of  the  Americans  made  a  serious  di- 
minution of  their  maritime  force. 

Peacock,  On  the  10th  of  April,  the  sloop  of  war  Peacock 
sailed  from  St.  Marys  on  a  cruise  in  the  gulf  of  Mexico  ;  and 
on  the  29th,  fell  in  with  and  captured  the  British  brig  Eper- 
vler,  after  an  action  of  forty-five  minutes.     I'he  vessels  were 

'1.5 


354  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  10. 

ofcqual  force,  each  mounting  eighteen  guns.  The  Epervier 
had  eight  men  killed  and  fifteen  wounded  ;  she  had  on  board 
§120,000  dollars  in  specie  to  reward  the  valour  of  her  captors. 
None  were  killed  on  board  the  Peacock  and  but  two  wound- 
ed. She  and  her  prize  arrived  safe  at  Savannah  on  the  4th 
of  May.  After  a  short  stay  in  port,  the  Peacock  proceeded 
to  a  second  cruise.  This  was  directed  to  the  Irish  channel, 
and  on  the  coast  of  Scotland,  to  intercept,  and  break  up  the 
intercourse  between  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  On  this 
ground  she  captured  and  destroyed  fourteen  vessels  with  their 
cargoes,  estimated  at  seven  hundred  thousand  dollars.  After 
a  cruise  of  five  months,  she  made  the  harbour  of  New- York  on 
the  20th  of  October.  The  effects  of  this  cruise,  aided  by  the 
enterprise  of  the  American  privateers  in  the  Irish  channel, 
were  such,  that  the  insurance  on  the  coasting  trade  was  raised 
*rom  one  to  thirteen  per  cent.  The  ship  owners  and  under- 
writers of  Glasgow,  on  the  7th  of  September,  presented  a  me- 
morial to  the  prince  regent,  in  which  they  stated,  that  the 
number  of  American  ships  of  war  with  which  their  channels 
were  infested,  the  audacity  with  which  they  approached  the 
British  coasts,  and  the  success  with  which  their  enterprise  has 
been  attended,  have  proved  injurious  to  their  commerce, 
humbling  to  their  pride,  and  discreditable  to  the  directors  of 
the  naval  power  of  the  British  nation  ;  that  the  system  of 
burning  and  destroying  every  article  which  there  was  fear  of 
losing,  diminished  the  chances  of  recapture,  and  rendered 
the  necessity  of  prevention  more  urgent :  they  therefore  pray 
the  prince  regent,  that  such  measures  may  be  adopted  as  shall 
effectually  protect  the  trade  on  the  coasts  of  the  kingdom, 
from  the  numerous  insulting  and  destructive  depredations  of 
their  enemy.  Similar  representations  from  Liverpool,  and 
several  other  maritime  towns,  bore  honourable  testimony  to 
the  enterprise  and  bravery  of  the  American  marine. 

Adams.  The  corvette  Adams,  Captain  Morris,  sailed  from 
Lynnhaven  bay  on  the  18th  of  January,  on  a  cruise  to  the 
coast  of  Afi*ica,  where  she  made  several  prizes.     On  the  25th 


-^314.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  355 

of  March,  she  captured,  after  a  long  chase,  a  valuable  India 
ship  ;  but  just  as  the  crew  were  taking  possession  of  her,  a 
convoy  of  twenty-five  sail,  accompanied  by  two  ships  of  war 
appeared  in  sight.  The  ships  gave  chase  to  the  Adams  and 
obliged  her  to  abandon  the  prize,  and  seek  her  own  safety  by 
a  precipitate  flight.  After  a  cruise  of  seven  months,  the  Adams 
arrived  on  the  coast  of  the  United  States,  and  made  the  port 
of  Castine.  On  the  approach  of  the  British  before  that  place, 
she  retired  up  the  Penobscot  to  Hampden,  where  she  was  af- 
terwards destroyed  with  her  prize  goods,  and  stores  to  pre- 
vent her  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

JVasp.  On  the  10th  of  April,  the  sloop  of  war  Wasp,  Cap- 
tain Blakeley,  sailed  from  Portsmorth,  New-Hampshire,  on  ^ 
cruise  to  the  Enghsh  channel.  On  the  28th  of  June,  she  fell 
in  with  the  British  sloop  of  war  Reindeer  ;  an  action  com- 
menced at  twenty  minutes  after  three,  at  close  quarters  ;  the 
Reindeer  twice  attempted  to  board,  but  was  repulsed.  At 
forty  minutes  past  three,  orders  were  given  to  board  the 
Reindeer,  which  were  promptly  executed,  and  all  resistance 
ceased.  The  British  loss  was  twenty-three  killed,  including 
their  commander,  Captain  Manners,  and  forty-two  wounded  ; 
the  American,  five  killed  and  twenty-one  wounded.  The 
Reindeer  mounted  eighteen  guns,  the  Wasp  twenty-two.  Af- 
ter taking  out  the  prisoners,  their  baggage,  and  such  stores  a^s 
would  be  received  on  board  the  Wasp,  the  Reindeer  was 
blown  up.  Captain  Blakely  then  put  into  L'Orient,  for  the 
purpose  of  repairing  his  ship,  and  obtaining  supplies.  Be- 
tween the  first  of  May,  and  the  6th  of  July,  he  took  and  de- 
stroyed eight  sail.  On  the  1st  of  September,  he  fell  in  with 
the  British  brig  Avon  ;  an  action  commenced  at  half  past  nine 
in  the  evening,  and  at  twelve  minutes  past  ten  the  Avon  sur- 
rendered. Before  Captain  Blakely  had  taken  possession, 
another  sail  appeared  close  on  board,  when  orders  were  giveri 
for  immediate  action.  At  this  moment  two  more  sail  appeared 
standing  for  the  Wasp,  one  on  the  lee  quarter,  and  one  astern* 
Orders  were  then  given  to  make  sail  from  the  enemy,  and  tb'e 


356  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chaf   16- 

Wasp  effected  her  escape.  After  leaving  L'Orient,  Captain 
Blakely  made  six  prizes  ;  five  of  which  he  sunk,  and  sent  one 
into  port.  From  that  time  the  Wasp  has  never  been  heard 
of;  she  doubtless  foundered  at  sea,  and  her  brave  crew  per- 
ished. 

Privateer  General  Armstrong,  On  the  26th  of  September, 
the  American  privateer  brig  General  Armstrong,  Captain 
Reid,  came  to  anchor  in  the  port  of  Fayal,  one  of  the  Azores, 
a  Portuguese  Island  in  the  Atlantic.  On  thesamedaj  the  Plan- 
tagenet  seventy-four,  and  the  Rota  and  Carnation, British  ships 
of  war,  suddenly  appeared  in  the  roads.  At  dark,  Capt.  Reid 
warped  his  ship  in  under  the  guns  of  the  fort  for  protection  ; 
at  eight  o'clock  he  observed  four  boats  from  the  ships  filled 
with  armed  men  approaching  him  ;  after  warning  them  to  keep 
off,  he  fired  into  the  boats,  killed  seven  men,  and  compelled 
them  to  return.  At  midnight  twelve  large  boats  armed  with 
swivels,  carronades,  and  muskets,  attacked  the  brig,  and  after 
a  severe  action  of  forty  minutes,  the  contest  ended  in  a  total 
defeat  of  the  party,  a  partial  destruction  of  the  boats,  and  a 
severe  loss  of  men.  Among  the  killed  were  the  first  lieuten- 
ant of  the  Plantagenct,  the  commandant  of  the  party,  and  two 
lieutenants  and  one  midshipman  of  the  Rota.  It  was  estimat- 
ed by  the  spectators  on  shore,  that  the  boats  contained  four 
hundred  men,  and  that  more  than  half  of  them  were  killed  or 
wounded.  Several  boats  were  destroyed,  two  remained 
along  side  of  the  Armstrong,  loaded  with  their  dead  and  dy- 
ing, only  seventeen  from  these  two  boats  reached  the  shore. 
The  British  acknowledged  a  loss  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
killed.  The  sloops  Thais  and  Calipso,  were  loaded  with  the 
wounded  and  sent  to  England.  Immediately  after  the  first 
attack,  Mr.  Dobney  the  American  consul  applied  to  the  gov- 
ernor of  Fayal,  to  enforce  the  priviliges  of  a  neutral  port  in 
favour  of  the  American  ship.  The  governor  expressed  his  in- 
dignation at  what  had  passed,  but  was  unable  with  his  means 
to  resist  such  a  force.  His  remonstrances  to  the  British  com- 
mander  were  answered  by  an  insulting  refusal.     On  the 


iai4.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  357 

morning  of  the  27th,  one  of  the  ships  took  a  station  near  the 
shore,  and  commenced  a  heavy  cannonade  on  the  brig.  Cap- 
tain Reid,  finding  further  resistance  unavaihng,  partially  de- 
stroyed the  brig,  and  went  on  shore  with  his  crew  ;  the 
British  then  set  her  on  fire.  In  this  attack  not  only  the  priv- 
ileges of  neutrality,  but  the  safety  of  the  town  was  wholly 
disregarded.  Several  of  the  inhabitants  were  dangerously 
wounded,  and  a  number  of  houses  destroyed. 

Early  in  the  summer,  the  frigates  United  States  and  Ma- 
cedonian were  lightened,  removed  several  miles  farther  up 
the  Thames,  and  dismantled.  Captain  Biddle,  in  the  Hornet, 
was  left  in  the  river  with  orders  to  escape  to  New-York  if  any 
possible  chance  offered.  About  the  middle  of  November, 
he  eluded  the  vigilance  of  the  blockading  squadron,  and  an- 
chored safe  in  New-York  harbour.  Commodore  Decatur  and 
his  crew  were  transferred  to  the  President  Frigate  then  pre- 
paring for  a  cruise  to  the  East  Indian  seas.  The  squadron 
destined  for  this  expedition  consisted  of  the  President,  the 
Hornet,  the  Peacock,  the  Tom-Bowline,  and  a  private  armed 
merchant  brig.  The  ships  were  prepared  for  sea  by  the 
middle  of  December,  but  were  so  closely  watched  by  a  much 
larger  squadron  in  the  offing,  that  no  opportunity  presented 
of  saihng,  until  the  13th  of  January,  when  all  the  ships  except 
the  President,  succeeded  in  getting  to  sea  with  orders  to  ren- 
dezvous at  the  island  of  Tristran  d'Acunha,  on  the  coast  of 
South  America,  and  there  wait  the  arrival  of  the  President. 

Capture  of  the  President  Frigate.  On  the  next  day  Com- 
modore Decatur  attempted  to  go  out ;  in  passing  the  bar,  ow- 
ing to  some  mistake  of  the  pilot,  his  ship  grounded,  and  con- 
tinued beating  in  that  situation  for  two  hours.  She  sustained 
so  much  injury  that  the  commodore  would  hav^e  put  back  for 
repairs,  buta  strong  westerly  wind  prevented.  At  ten  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  she  cleared  the  bar,  and  proceeded  a  distance 
of  fifty  miles  along  the  south  shore  of  Long  Island,  and  then 
bore  away  for  the  Brazils.  At  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
the  15th,  three  ships  were  discovered  ahead  ;  the  commodore 


358  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chaf.  It^ 

immediately  hauled  his  wind,  and  passed  to  the  north  of  them- 
At  day  light  four  ships  were  discovered  in  chase,  one  on  each 
quarter,  and  two  astern  5  the  leading  ship  appeared  to  be  a 
razee.  At  noon  the  wind  became  light  and  baffling  ;  the  razee 
fell  astern,  but  the  next  ship  in  pursuit  had  gained  considera- 
bly on  the  President.  Commodore  Decatur  then  lightened 
the  ship  of  every  thing  not  necessary  for  immediate  defence, 
kept  his  canvass  constantly  wet,  and  crowded  every  sail  to 
escape.  At  three  in  the  afternoon,  the  Endymion  fifty  gun 
ship  being  favoured  by  a  good  breeze  came  within  shot,  and 
commenced  firing  her  bow  guns.  At  five  she  obtained  a  po- 
sition at  half  point  blank  shot  on  the  President's  starboard 
quarter.  In  this  situation  the  Endymion  was  cutting  up  the 
President's  sails  and  rigging  without  exposing  herself  to  any 
injury.  The  commodore  then  shifted  his  course  to  the  south 
for  the  purpose  of  bringing  the  Endymion  abeam.  The  ships 
continued  a  southerly  course,  and  closely  engaged  for  two 
hours  and  an  half,  when  the  Endymion  became  dismantled, 
and  dropped  out  of  the  action.  The  President  then  resumed 
her  former  course  with  a  view  of  clearing  the  squadron.  At 
eleven  o'clock  at  night,  two  fresh  ships,  the  Pomona  and 
Tenedos,  came  up,  and  opened  their  fire  ;  the  Pomona  on 
the  larboard  bow  within  musket  shot,  and  the  Tenedos  taking 
a  raking  position  two  cables  length  astern.  The  razee  and 
a  brig  which  had  joined  the  squadron,  had  also  arrived  within 
gun-shot.  In  this  situation  the  commodore  reluctantly  sur- 
rendered his  ship.  The  loss  on  board  the  President  was 
twenty-five  killed,  and  fifty-five  wounded.  She  was  carried 
into  Bermuda,  where  the  commodore  and  most  of  the  officers 
were  paroled.  ' 

Cruise  of  the  Hornet.  The  remainder  of  the  American 
squadron  proceeded  towards  their  place  of  rendezvous.  On 
the  16th,  the  Hornet  parted  from  the  other  ships  ;  and  on  the 
23d,  near  her  anchoring  ground,  she  fell  in  with  the  British 
sloop  of  war  Penguin.  An  action  commenced  at  forty  min- 
utes past  one  in  the  afternoon,  at  musket  distance ;  at  two,  the 


mu,  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  359 

Penguin  bore  up  apparently  with  the  intention  of  boarding, 
and  ran  her  bowsprit  between  the  main  and  mizen  rigging  of 
the  Hornet,  on  the  starboard  quarter,  aftbrding  a  fair  oppor- 
tunity to  board,  but  no  attempt  was  made.  An  incessant 
and  destructive  fire  was  kept  up  from  the  Hornet,  until  the 
commanding  officer  of  the  Penguin  called  out  that  he  had 
surrendered,  when  Captain  Biddle  directed  his  men  to  cease 
firing.  While  he  was  on  the  tafferil  inquiring  if  they  had 
surrendered,  he  received  a  ball  in  the  neck ;  the  ships  then 
separated,  and  while  the  Hornet  was  wearing  to  give  a  fresh 
broadside,  they  again  called  out  from  the  Penguin  that  they 
had  surrendered,  and  Captain  Biddle  took  possession  of  her 
in  just  twenty-two  minutes  from  the  commencement  of  the 
action.  The  Penguin  mounted  nineteen  guns,  and  had  a  com- 
plement of  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  men.  Her  loss  was 
fourteen  killed,  including  their  commander,  Captain  Dickinson; 
and  twenty-eight  wounded.  The  loss  on  board  the  Hornet 
Avas  one  killed,  and  eleven  wounded.  Captain  Biddle  finding 
it  impossible,  from  the  crippled  state  of  his  prize,  to  send  her 
into  the  United  States,  ordered  her  to  be  scuttled  and  sunk, 
and  proceeded  to  his  anchorage,  at  the  island  of  Tristran 
d'Acunha.  After  M'Donald,  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Pen- 
guin, had  repeatedly  called  out  that  he  had  surrendered,  and 
the  Hornet  had  ceased  to  fire,  two  men  on  board  the  Penguin 
took  aim  and  fired  at  Captain  Biddle,  and  the  man  at  the 
helm;  two  marines  on  board  the  Hornet  observing  this, 
levelled  their  pieces  and  shot  both  the  assassins  dead. 

The  squadron,  after  waiting  on  the  coast  of  Brazil,  the 
period  designated  by  their  instructions,  and  not  hearing  from 
the  President,  sailed  for  the  Indian  ocean.  In  Lat.  381  S., 
and  Lon.  33  east:  on  the  27th  of  April,  a  British  ship  of  the 
line  appeared  in  sight,  and  gave  chase.  The  American  ships  im- 
mediately separated,  and  the  chase  continued  in  pursuit  of  the 
Hornet.  At  nine  o'clock  P.M.  the  chase  continuing  to  gain  upon 
him,  Captain  Biddle  lightened  ship ;  by  day-light  on  the  29th, 
the  enemy  was  within  gun  shot  on  his  lee  quarter,  and  at  seven. 


360  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  JC. 

hoisted  the  English  Jack,  and  a  rear  admiral's  flag,  and  com- 
menced firing.  At  eleven,  Captain  Biddle  threw  overboard  all 
his  armament,  and  every  thing  that  could  be  spared  from  the 
ship;  the  British  continuing  within  fair  range,  and  constantly 
firing.  Fortunately  the  fire  deadened  their  wind,  and  at  sun- 
set, they  were  four  miles  astern  ;  at  day-light  the  next  morn- 
ing, twelve  miles ;  and  at  eleven  o'clock,  entirely  out  of 
sight.  The  Hornet,  now  deprived  of  her  armament,  and 
short  of  provisions,  shaped  her  course  for  St.  Salvador,  where 
she  heard  the  news  of  peace,  and  returned  to  New- York. 

Cruise  of  the  Constitution.  The  Constitution,  Captain 
Stewart,  left  Boston  harbour  on  the  1 7th  of  December,  on  a 
cruise  to  the  western  islands,  and  the  coast  of  Portugal.  On 
jhe  20th  of  February,  sixty  leagues  eastward  of  Madirea, 
she  fell  in  with  the  Cyanne  and  Levant,  British  ships.  At  six 
in  the  afternoon  the  action  commenced  by  broadsides  from  all 
the  ships  at  three  hundred  yards  distance.  After  an  action  of 
forty-five  minutes,  the  Cyanne  surrendered  and  was  taken 
possession  of  by  Captain  Stewart  •,  the  Levant  at  this  time 
endeavouring  to  escape.  Having  secured  his  prize,  Captain 
Stewart  immediately  went  in  pursuit  of  the  other  ship,  then 
in  sight  to  the  leeward  :  at  nine  o'clock  came  up  with  her, 
and  exchanged  broadsides.  The  Levant  then  crowded  all 
sail,  the  Constitution  in  chase  firing  her  bow  guns ;  at  ten  the 
Levant  surrendered.  The  two  British  ships  mounted  fifty-five 
guns,  and  were  manned  with  three  hundred  and  thirty-^x 
men.  Their  loss  was  thirty-five  killed,  and  forty-two  wound- 
ed. The  Constitution  had  three  killed,  and  twelye  wounded. 
The  British  ships  were  just  out  from  Gibraltar,  bound  to 
Madirea  with  supernumeraries,  rigging,  and  equipments,  for 
a  British  ship  building  at  the  western  islands.  February  21st, 
the  three  ships  stood  to  the  westward,  and  on  the  23d  made 
Porto  Santo,  one  of  the  Madeiras,  and  continued  under  short 
cruising  sail  until  the  8th  of  March  ;  when  they  anchored  in 
])ort  Pray  a,  in  the  Island  of  St.  Jago.  At  noon,  on  the  12th, 
the  British  ships  Leander.  Acasta,  and  Newcastle,  which  had 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  3^1 

been  in  search  of  the  Constitution  during  her  whole  cruise, 
appeared  off  the  harbour.  Captain  Stewart,  apprehending 
that  a  neutral  port  would  afford  him  no  protection,  immedi- 
ately slipped  his  cables,  and  put  to  sea  with  his  prizes.  The 
British  made  all  sail  in  pursuit.  At  one,  Captain  Stewart 
observing  the  Cyanne  to  fall  astern,  gave  a  signal  for  her  to 
tack,  and  separate.  Without  regarding  the  Cyanne,  the  chase 
was  continued  after  the  Constitution  and  Levant.  At  three,  the 
Levant,  also  falling  astern,  was  ordered  to  tack  and  return 
to  port.  The  British  ships  then  gave  up  the  chase  of  the 
Constitution,  and  pursued  the  Levant  into  Porto  Prava,  and 
took  her,  under  the  guns  of  a  Portuguese  fort.  The  Cyanne 
arrived  at  New- York  on  the  15th  of  April,  and  the  Consti- 
tution on  the  1st  of  May. 

General  Result  of  the  Naval  War,  The  number  of  British 
vessels  of  every  description,  captured  and  sent  into  port,  or 
destroyed  during  the  year  1814,  including  several  taken 
after  the  conclusion,  but  before  notice  of  the  peace,  amounted 
to  nine  hundred  and  four.  The  whole  number  taken  during  the 
war,  exclusive  of  those  which  had  been  re-captured,  was  six- 
teen hundred  and  thirty-four,  carrying  three  thousand  one 
hundred  and  thirteen  guns,  and  twelve  thousand  two  hundred 
and  fifteen  men.*  The  loss  of  these  ships  to  the  British  na- 
tion, estimating  each  vessel,  cargo,  and  equipments,  at  the 
time  of  sailing,  at  an  average  of  forty  thousand  dollars, 
amounted  to  sixty-five  millions,  three  hundred  and  sixty  thou- 
sand dollars.  One  hundred  and  seventy  of  these  captures 
were  made  by  the  pubhc  armed  ships  of  the  United  States  \ 
the  residue  by  privateers.  Ninety-eight  of  these  prizes  were 
ships  of  war  belonging  to  the  British  navy  ;  the  residue  were 
the  property  of  British  subjects. 

The  British  captured  at  sea  and  on  the  lakes  during  the 
war,  twenty  national  armed  ships,  and  twenty-two  gun-boats. 
They  also  took  or  destroyed  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight 

*  Niles's  Weekly  Regist^er. 
/  46 


^362  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  Ri. 

American  privateers.  The  whole  number  of  merchant  ves- 
sels captured  or  destroyed,  amounted  to  thirteen  hundred  and 
ninety-eight.  Seventy  of  these  were  in  the  British  ports  at 
the  declaration  of  war,  and  there  detained  and  made  prizes; 
a  great  portion  of  the  others  were  destroyed  in  the  American 
ports,  dismantled  and  without  cargoes.  Eighteen  thousand 
four  hundred  and  thirteen  American  seamen  were  made 
prisoners  during  the  war,  and  two  thousand  five  hundred  and 
forty-eight  detained  as  prisoners  of  war,  being  American  sea- 
men in  British  ports  at  the  declaration  of  war,  or  impressed 
seamen,  who  refused  to  serve,  and  gave  themselves  up  as 
prisoners.*  Although  the  number  of  captures  on  either  side 
was  nearly  equal,  yet  as  those  taken  from  the  British  were 
sea  vessels,  with  full  cargoes,  and  a  great  portion  of  the 
Americans  were  mere  hulls  laid  up  in  port ;  the  balance  in 
value  was  greatly  in  favour  of  the  latter.  Indeed,  had  it  not 
have  been  for  the  unsuccessful  attempt  to  conquer  the  Cana- 
das,  the  citizens  of  America  might  have  congratulated  them- 
selves that  the  war  had  in  some  measure  reimbursed  to  them, 
from  the  spoils  of  the  commerce  of  their  enemies,  the  losses 
they  had  sustained  from  Brttish  aggressions. 

This  result  of  the  naval  war,  so  unexpected  to  Great 
Britain,  considering  the  vast  difference  between  the  maritime 
strength  of  the  two  nations,  was  highly  honourable  to  the 
enterprise,  skill,  and  valour  of  the  American  marine.  At  the 
commencement  of  the  contest.  Great  Britain  affected  to  de- 
spise the  American  stripes,  and  boasted  that  she  would  in  a 
few  months  drive  them  from  the  ocean.  Her  chagrin  and 
disappointment  was  only  equalled  by  her  former  pride  and 
boasting,  when  she  saw  several  of  her  finest  frigates  yield  to 
American  valour,  and  upwards  of  sixteen  hundred  of  her 
ships  strike  their  flags  to  a  despised  enemy. 


*  British  Admiralty's  Report  to  the  House  of  Commons,  February  Isl, 
1815. 


CHAPTER  XVll. 

General  Wilkinson  retires  from  the  French  Mills. — Affair  of  l^a  Cole 
Mill. — State  of  the  British  and  American  Navy  on  Lake  Ontario. — 
Attack  on  Oswego. — Burning  of  Long-  Point. — General  Brown  takes 
the  Command  on  the  Niagara  Frontier. — Fort  Erie  surrenders; — 
Battle  of  Chippewa. — Death  of  General  Swift. — Burning  of  St.  Da- 
vids.— Battle  of  Niagara.— Capture  of  General  Riall. — Exchange  of 
General  Drummond's  Aid,for  the  Corpse  of  General  Brown's. — Gener- 
al Gaines  takes  the  Command. — Assault  on  Fort  Erie. — Explosion.— 
Sortie  on  the  British  Works. — The  Seige  raised. — General  Izard  ar- 
rives with  reinforcements  and  takes  the  Command.  Retires  from 
Fort  Erie. — General  Result  of  the  Campaign  on  the  Niagara. 

Korthcrn  Army  remove  from  French  Mills.  After  the 
abandonment  of  the  Montreal  expedition,  General  Wilkin- 
son remained  with  his  army  at  their  cantonments  at  the 
French  Mills  until  the  13th  of  February.  At  this  point  they 
were  exposed  to  a  joint  attack  from  the  British  on  the  St. 
Lawrence,  and  at  Montreal,  without  works  of  defence. 
There  was  here  no  other  object  than  their  own  encamp- 
ment to  defend;  they  were  sixty  miles  from  their  nearest 
depot  of  provisions,  and  the  important  posts  of  Sackett's  Har- 
bour and  Plattsburgh  were  in  an  unprotected  state.  The 
latter  was  threatened  with  an  attack  from  the  enemy  in  the 
neighbourhood,  and  sent  a  pressing  request  to  General  Wil- 
kinson for  succours.  No  reason  was  ever  assigned  why,  under 
these  circumstances,  this  army  was  encamped  three  months  at 
the  French  Mills,  other  than  to  cover  the  disgrace  of  an  imme- 
diate retreat,  and  to  amuse  the  country  with  the  prospect  of 
another  expedition  against  Montreal  in  the  spring,  which  was 
never  intended  to  be  executed.  Towards  the  last  of  Ja1i- 
uary,  the  commanding  general  began  to  remove  his  artillery 
and  heavy  baggage  to  Plattsburgh,  and  on  the  13th  of  Febhi- 
ary,  broke  up  his  encampment,  destroyed  his  boats,  and  h^t- 


364  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  IT. 

racks,  and  with  ihe  main  body,  proceeded  to  that  place. 
General  Brown  with  one  division  took  the  route  to  Sackett^s 
harbour.  The  British,  on  learning  these  movements,  came 
out  in  force  from  Montreal,  and  pursued  the  first  division  as 
far  as  Chateaugay  four  corners.  The  snow  on  both  routes  was 
of  three  feet  depth ;  the  march  was  slow  and  fatiguing,,  but 
finally  accomplished  by  both  divisions  without  loss.  A  part 
of  the  troops  were  cantoned  at  Plattsburgh,  and  one  division 
of  them  crossed  the  lake  to  Burlington. 

Jlssault  on  La  Cole  Mill,  General  Wilkinson,  desirous 
of  distinguishing  himself  by  some  important  manoeuvre,  before 
he  left  the  army  of  the  north,  on  the  30th  of  March,  entered 
Canada  a  second  time,  with  the  main  body,  and  advanced  as 
far  as  Odletown,  a  few  miles  within  the  enemy's  territory. 
Here  he  was  met  by  the  British  in  considerable  force,  had  a 
fharp  skirmish,  and  drove  them  back  as  far  as  La  Cole 
mill.  This  was  a  large  stone  building,  three  stories  high, 
within  and  behind  w^hich,  the  British  took  a  position  of  per- 
fect security.  The  American  artillery,  consisting  of  a  twelve 
and  an  eighteen  pounder  was  ordered  up  to  dislodge  them. 
Owing  to  the  badness  of  the  roads,  the  carriage  of  the  latter 
failed,  and  only  the  lighter  piece  could  be  brought  up.  Thi^ 
was  stationed  in  front,  and  within  musket  distance  of  the 
mill,  and  commenced  a  cannonade  upon  the  building,  which 
was  continued  an  hour  and  a  half  without  intermission,  and 
without  effect.  Finding  that  no  impression  could  be  made 
on  the  mill,  and  that  the  heavy  ordnance  could  not  be 
brought  up,  the  troops  returned  the  same  evening  to  Olde- 
town,  and  the  next  day  to  Plattsburgh.  The  American  ar^ 
lillerists  stood  with  great  bravery  and  firmness  before  this 
fortress,  directing  their  fire  with  the  utmost  precision  against 
its  impenetrable  walls,  observing  every  ball  to  hit  its  object^ 
and  rebound  without  effect.  They  were  exposed,  during  the 
whole  time,  to  the  deliberate  aim  of  the  garrison  ;  almost  all 
those  immediately  engaged  in  the  management  of  the  piece, 
■Were  ^ith^r  killed  or  weunde^.  Captain  M'Phcrsen  who  com.- 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  360 

manded,  and  Lieutenant  Lanohue  were  both  dangerously 
wounded ;  the  latter  shot  through  the  breast, and  the  former  re- 
reived  a  wound  just  under  the  chin,  which  he  bound  up  with  his 
handkerchief,  and  continued  at  his  piece  until  a  second  shot 
brought  him  to  the  ground.  The  whole  American  loss  was 
eight  killed,  and  sixty-six  wounded.  The  British  made  two 
attempts  to  take  the  piece,  but  were  repulsed  with  firmness. 
Their  whole  loss  in  these  sorties,  and  in  the  skirmish  at  Odle- 
lown,  was  ten  killed,  and  forty-six  wounded.  The  stone 
mill  expedition,  if  it  had  any  other  object  than  that  of  putting 
to  the  test  American  valour,  and  obtaining  a  laurel  for  the 
commanding  general,  was  designed  to  seize  and  fortify 
Rouse's  point,  a  position  on  the  Sorrel  river,  which  com- 
manded the  entrance  into  lake  Champlain,  and  might  prevent 
the  British '^flotilla  which  lay  below  at  the  Isle  aux  Noix  from 
entering  the  lake.  This  movement  was  declared  to  be  not 
in  pursuance  of  the  views  of  the  war  department,  and  the 
general  soon  afterwards  retired  from  the  service.  His  con- 
duct, during  his  command  in  the  north,  was  subjected  to  the 
examination  of  a  court  martial  ;  before  whom  he  proved  that 
during  a  great  part  of  the  time  while  the  most  important  meas- 
ures were  in  operation,  he  acted  under  the  immediate  orders 
of  the  war  department,  then  with  the  army,  and  of  course  not 
personally  responsible  ;  that  on  General  Hampton's  failing  to 
join  him,  who  had  never  been  called  to  account  for  disobedi- 
ence of  orders,  it  was  inexpedient  to  make  the  attempt  on 
Montreal  ;  that  his  encampment,  and  stay  at  the  French  mills, 
was  agreeable  to  the  views  of  the  war  department,  and  had 
been  approved  ;  and  that  his  other  measures  were  not  of  that 
decisively  unmilitary  character  as  to  deserve  the  censure  of 
the  court :  he  was  therefore  acquitted. 

Ship  Building  on  Lake  Ontario.  Great  exertions  were 
made  both  by  the  British  and  American  governments,  to  ob- 
tain the  naval  ascendancy  on  lake  Ontario.  A  contest  in 
ship  building  on  these  waters  commenced  in  1813,  and  was 
continued  during  the  year  1814,  which,  if  the  war  had  lasted. 


366  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chap  15- 

must  have  progressed  to  an  unlimited  extent.  Two  largo 
brigs  of  war,  of  five  hundred  tons  each,  were  built,  equipped, 
and  put  into  service  by  the  last  of  April,  by  the  Americans. 
The  ship  Superior,  fitted  to  carry  sixty-six  guns,  was  launched 
on  the  1st  of  May,  in  eighty  days  from  laying  her  keel.  Equal 
exertions  were  made  on  the  part  of  the  British.  On  the  1st 
of  June, 
The  American  Lake  navy  consisted    The  British  force  on  the  lake  con- 


of  the 

sisted  of  the 

Superior, 

66  guns. 

Prince  Regent, 

62  gun.- 

Pike, 

28 

Princess  Charlotte, 

44 

Madison, 

^5 

Wolf, 

2S 

Jefferson, 

23 

Royal  George, 

24 

Jones, 

23 

Melville, 

2^ 

Sylph, 

22 

Earl  IVIoira, 

18 

Oneida, 

18 

Brig  Prince  Regent,12 

Lady  of  the  Lake, 

2 

Sir  Sidney  Smith, 

12 

207  guns.  222  gun.-. 

In  addition  to  these,  both  parties  had  a  considerable  num- 
ber of  gunboats  and  other  small  craft.  The  British  had  on 
the  stocks  a  ship  calculated  for  a  hundred  guns,  ^nd  the 
Americans  one  for  a  hundred  and  twenty. 

A  considerable  quantity  of  naval  stores  destined  for  the 
fleet,  and  essentially  necessary  to  complete  the  armament  of 
the  Superior,  was  deposited  at  Oswego  falls,  twelve  miles  up 
the  river  from  the  old  French  fort  at  its  mouth.  Colonel 
Mitchell,  with  three  hundred  men,  was  ordered  to  the  fort  to 
cover  these  stores.  He  arrived  on  the  30th  of  April,  and 
found  it  in  a  defenceless  situation,  with  only  five  guns  and  but 
two  of  those  mounted. 

Attack  on  Oswego,  Before  he  had  time  to  prepare  for  de- 
fence, a  British  force,  destined  to  destroy  the  stores,  consisting 
of  four  large  ships,  three  brigs,  and  a  number  of  gun  boats, 
appeared  oif  the  harbour,  and  at  one  o'clock  on  the  5th  of 
May,  fifteep  boats  filled  with  troops  attempted  to  land.    Co- 


VU14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  3t>7 

Jonel  Mitchell,  planted  a  battery  near  the  shore,  with  which  he 
prevented  the  landing,  and  took  one  of  the  boats.  At  day 
break  the  next  morning,  the  ships  anchored  abreast  of  the 
fort,  and  commenced  a  cannonade  which  lasted  three  hours, 
while  the  troops  effected  their  landing.  The  British  landed 
fifteen  hundred  men,  and  were  gaining  the  rear  of  the  fort, 
when  Colonel  Mitchell,  having  withstood  their  attack  for  half 
an  hour,  being  overpowered  by  numbers,  retreated  in  good 
order  to  the  falls.  The  enemy  then  took  possession  of  the 
fort,  demolished  it,  destroyed  what  stores  they  found  therein, 
burned  the  barracks,  and  returned  to  Kingston.  The  Amer- 
ican loss  was  six  killed,  and  sixty-three  wounded  and  missing. 
The  British  acknowledge  a  loss  of  nineteen  killed,  and  seven- 
ty-five wounded.  The  destruction  of  the  naval  stores  at  the 
falls,  the  main  object  of  the  expedition,  was  prevented.  Cap- 
tain Woolsey  was  immediately  afterwards  despatched  with  a 
number  of  batteauxto  transport  these  stores  to  Sackett's  Har- 
bour. The  British,  having  at  this  time  the  command  of  the 
lake,  and  blockading  the  harbour,  rendered  this  an  underta- 
king of  extreme  difficulty  and  hazard.  On  the  28th  of  May, 
Captain  Woolsey  put  the  stores  consisting  of  thirty-four  heavy 
ship  cannon,  ten  cables,  and  many  light  articles,  on  board  his 
boats,  and  took  them  down  the  rapids.  Having  despatched  a 
lookout  boat,  and  being  informed  that  there  was  no  enemy  on 
the  coast,  he  proceeded  to  the  mouth  of  the  river.  Here  he 
distributed  a  guard  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  riflemen  among 
the  boats,  and  directed  a  company  of  one  hundred  and  thirty 
Oneida  Indians,  to  keep  along  the  shore  near  the  flotilla.  Thus 
arranged,  he  proceeded  to  Sandy  Creek,  and  reached  it  at 
noon  of  the  29th,  with  the  loss  of  one  boat.  Here  he  pushed 
his  boats  two  miles  up  the  river,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
30th  at  six  o'clock,  the  British  were  discovered  ap- 
proaching the  mouth  of  the  creek.  Captain  Woolsey  imme- 
diately disposed  of  the  riflemen  and  Indians  in  ambush  half  a 
mile  below  the  boats  under  Major  Appling.  At  ten  the  British 
landed  and  marched  up  the  creek,  at  the  same  time  pushing 


368  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  l1. 

along  with  them  seven  armed  boats  ;  when  they  had  arrived 
at  the  place  of  ambuscade,  and  in  view  of  Woolsey's  flotilla, 
considering  their  prize  as  certain,  they  gave  three  cheers,  and 
were  rushing  on  :  at  this  instant  Major  Appling  with  his  men 
rose  upon  them,  and  after  a  smart  skirmish  of  ten  minutes, 
captured  every  boat  and  man  of  the  party.  The  fruits  of  this 
victory  were  seven  armed  boats  captured,  fourteen  British 
killed,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty-one  prisoners,  without  the 
loss  of  a  man  on  the  part  of  the  Americans.*  From  this  point 
the  stores  were  transported  by  land,  a  distance  of  sixteen 
miles,  to  the  harbour,  and  arrived  on  the  10th  of  June.  The 
difficulties  and  embarrassments  attending  the  obtaining  of 
sufficient  supplies  in  season,  detained  the  fleet  in  the  harbour 
until  the  1st  of  August. 

Long  Point,  At  the  village  of  Dover  on  Long  Point,  on 
the  Canada  shore  of  lake  Erie,  was  a  valuable  set  of  flour 
mills,  and  a  large  collection  of  wheat  and  ftour,  from  which 
the  troops  on  the  Niagara  frontier  received  considerable  sup- 
pHes.  On  the  15th  of  May,  Colonel  Campbell,  of  the  19th 
infantry,  with  a  detachment  of  five  hundred  men,  crossed  over 
from  the  village  of  Erie  on  the  south  shore  of  the  lake,  de- 
stroyed the  flour,  burned  the  mills,  and  the  stores  and 
dwelhng-houses  of  the  town.  On  General  Brown's  arrival  at 
Buflfalo,  he  ordered  Colonel  Campbell  to  be  arrested,  and 
tried  by  a  court  martial,  for  destroying  private  property  of  the 
enemy,  contrary  to  the  principles  upon  which  the  American 
government  conducted  the  war.  Colonel  Campbell  acknowl- 
edged that  the  expedition  was  undertaken  on  his  own  respon- 
sibihty,  without  the  knowledge  or  direction  of  the  govern- 
ment. The  court  martial  justified  the  destruction  of  the  flour 
and  the  mills,  as  a  measure  necessary  to  prevent  supplies  for 
the  army,  and  condemned  the  destruction  of  the  dwelling- 
houses  and  other  property  of  the  citizens.     In  their  decision, 


'^  Captain  Woolsey's  reporf . 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE   WAR.  369^ 

however,  they  remark  that  the  citizens  of  Dover  assisted  in 
the  burning  of  Buffalo,  which  palhated,  though  it  did  not  ex- 
cuse, the  measure. 

Niagara  Frontier,  After  the  desolation  of  the  Niagara 
frontier  in  1813,  there  appeared  to  be  nothing  for  the  parties 
to  contend  for  in  that  quarter.  No  object  could  be  obtained 
by  a  victory  on  either  side,  but  the  temporary  occupation  of  a 
v^acant  territory ;  yet  both  parties  seemed  to  have  selected 
this  as  the  principal  theatre  on  which  to  display  their  military 
prowess  in  the  year  1814.  Lieutenant  General  Drummond, 
governor  of  Upper  Canada,  concentrated  the  forces  of  that 
province  at  fort  George,  and  retained  the  possession  of  Niag- 
ara. The  American  Generals  Smyth,  Hampton,  Dearborn, 
and  Wilkinson,  under  whose  auspices  the  campaigns  of  1812 
and  13,  on  the  Canada  border,  were  conducted,  had  retired 
from  that  field ;  and  General  Brown  was  appointed  ma- 
jor general,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  Brigadiers  Scott 
and  Ripley,  designated  to  the  command  of  the  Niagara 
frontier.  He  left  Sackett's  Harbour  in  May,  with  a 
large  portion  of  the  American  troops,  in  consequence 
of  which  the  important  depots  at  that  place  and  its  vicin-* 
ity  were  exposed  to  attacks  from  Kingston.  On  his  ar- 
rival at  Buffalo,  calculating  upon  the  co-operation  of  the  On- 
tario fleet,  he  determined  on  an  attempt  to  expel  the  British 
from  the  Niagara  peninsula.  With  this  view  he  crossed  the 
river  on  the  3d  of  July,  pulDlished  a  declaration  addressed  to 
the  inhabitants  of  Upper  Canada,  stating  that  all  whom  he 
found  engaged  in  the  service  of  the  enemy,  would  be  treated 
as  foes;  those  that  remained  at  home  peaceably,  following  their 
private  occupations,  would  be  treated  as  friends  :  public  pro- 
perty of  every  description  would  be  seized  and  held  at  the 
disposal  of  the  commanding  general  ;  that  private  property 
would  be  held  sacred,  and  any  plunderer  who  should  be  found 
violating  his  orders  in  this  respect  should  suffer  death. 

Fort  Erie  taken.  On  the  same  da^  he  invested  fort  Erie, 
and  summoned  it  to  surrender,  allowing  the  commandant  two 

47 


370  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  IT- 

hours  to  answer  the  summons.  At  five  in  the  afternoon  the 
fort  surrendered,  and  the  prisoners,  amounting  to  one  hundred 
and  thirty-seven,  were  removed  to  Buffalo, 

Battle  of  Chippewa.  On  the  morning  of  the  fourth,  Gen- 
eral Scott  advanced  with  his  brigade  and  corps  of  artillery^ 
and  took  a  position  on  the  Chippewa  plain,  half  a  mile  in 
front  of  the  village,  his  right  resting  on  the  river,  and  his  front 
protected  by  a  ravine.  The  British  were  encamped  in  force 
at  the  village.  In  the  evening  General  Brown  jomed  him 
with  the  reserve  under  General  Ripley,  and  the  artillery  com- 
manded by  Major  Hindman.  General  Porter  arrived  the 
next  morning,  with  the  New- York  and  Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers, and  a  number  of  Indians  of  the  six  nations.  Early  iu 
the  morning  of  the  5th,  the  British  commenced  a  firing  on  the 
pickets.  Captain  Trott,  who  commanded  one  of  them,  hastily 
retreated,  leaving  one  of  his  men  wounded  on  the  ground. 
General  Brown  instantly  ordered  him  to  retire  from  the  army,, 
and  directed  Captain  Biddle  to  assume  the  command  of  the 
picket,  lead  it  back  to  the  ground,  and  bring  off  the  vvounded 
man  ;  which  he  acccmplished  without  loss.  At  four  in  the 
afternoon.  General  Porter  advanced,  taking  the  woods  in  order 
to  conceal  his  approach,  and  in  the  hope  of  bringing  their 
pickets  and  scoutii^g  parties  between  his  line  of  march  and 
the  Amercan  camp.  In  half  an  hour  his  advance  met  the 
light  parties  of  the  British  in  the  woods  on  the  left.  These  were 
driven  in,  and  Porter,  advancing  near  Chippewa,  met  the  whole 
British  force  approaching  in  order  of  battle.  General  Scott, 
with  his  brigade  and  Tovvser's  artillery,  met  them  on  the  plain,  in 
front  of  the  American  encampment,  and  was  directly  engaged 
in  close  action  with  the  main  body.  General  Porter's  com- 
mand gave  way,  and  fled  in  every  direction,  by  which  Scott's 
left  flank  was  entirely  uncovered.  Captain  Harris,  with  his 
dragoons,  was  ordered  to  stop  the  fugitives,  at  the  ravine,  and 
form  them  in  front  of  the  camp.  The  reserve  were  now  or- 
dered up,  and  General  Ripley  passed  to  the  woods  m  left  of 
the  line  to  gain  the  rear  of  the  enemy  ;  but  before  this  was  ef- 


^S14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  J71 

fected,  General  Scott  had  compelled  the  British  to  retire. 
Their  whole  line  now  fell  back,  and  were  eagerly  pursued 
by  the  Americans.  As  soon  as  they  reached  the  sloping 
ground  descending  towards  the  village,  their  lines  broke,  and 
they  regained  their  works  in  disorder.  The  American  troops 
pursued  until  within  reach  of  the  guns  from  the  works  ;  when 
they  desisted  and  returned  to  their  camp.  The  British 
left  two  hundred  dead  on  the  ground,  ninety-four  wounded, 
beside  those  in  the  early  part  of  the  action,  who  were  remov- 
ed back  to  the  camp,  and  fourteen  prisoners.  The  American 
loss  was  sixty  killed,  and  tw^o  hundred  and  sixty-eight  wound- 
ed and  missing.* 

After  the  battle  of  Chippewa,  the  British  retired  to  fort 
George ;  and  General  Brown  took  post  at  Queenston,  where 
he  remained  some  time,  expecting  reinforcements  and  aid  from 
Sackett's  Harbour,  and  calculating  that  with  them  he  should  be 
able  to  dislodge  the  British,  and  obtain  possession  of  the  Pe- 
ninsula. 

General  Swift  slain^  On  the  12th  of  July,  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral John  Swift,  of  the  New- York  militia,  with  a  detachment 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  volunteers,  reconnoitered  the 
British  position  and  works  at  fort  George,  with  a  view  of 
preparing  for  an  investment  of  the  fort.  He  surprised  and 
took  a  picket  guard  of  six  men.  After  they  were  made  pris- 
oners, one  of  them  shot  the  general  through  the  body.  The 
alarm  occasioned  by  the  discharge  of  this  gun,  immediately 
brought  to  the  spot  a  British  patroling  party  of  sixty.  Gen- 
eral Swift  immediately  formed  his  m.en,  advanced  at  their 
head,  and  commenced  a  successful  engagement  on  the  patrole, 
when  he  fell  exhausted  by  the  loss  of  blood ;  the  other 
officers,  animated  by  this  last  example  of  their  general,  con- 
tinued the  action,  and  drove  the  enemy  into  the  fort.  They 
then  returned  to  camp,  bearing  their  expiring  commander  in 

*  General  Brown's  report  to  the  secretary  ©f  warr. 


1 

4 

372  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  17 

iheir  arms.     He  died  the  same  evening,  and  was  interred  the 
next  day  with  military  honours. 

On  the  13th  of  July,  General  Brown  wrote  a  pressing  letter 
to  Commodore  Chauncey,  informing  him  of  his  situation,  and 
urging  an  immediate  co-operation.  He  heard  nothing  from 
the  fleet  until  the  1st  of  September,  when  he  rec!|ived  an  an- 
swer from  the  commodore,  dated  the  10th  of  August,  stating 
that  the  fleet  had  not  been  in  a  situation  to  co-operate  with 
him,  that  it  could  have  aflforded  him  no  essential  aid  in  any 
event ;  that  his  fleet  was  destined  to  attack  the  British,  and 
not  to  act  a  subordinate  part  to  the  land  forces.  This  pro- 
duced a  sharp  reply  from  General  Brown;  the  correspondence 
ended  ;  and  the  general  and  commodore  pursued  their  diflfer- 
ent  objects  without  any  co-operation. 

Burning  of  St.  Davids.  On  the  18th,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Stone,  was  detached  with  a  corps  of  volunteers  to  dislodge  a 
party  of  British  troops,  who  were  near  the  village  of  St.  Da- 
vids, four  miles  west  of  Queenston,  watching  and  attacking 
the  American  reconnoitering  parties.  The  British  were  rout- 
ed and  driven  in  ;  and  soon  after  the  action,  the  village  was 
set  fire  to,  and  burned  by  some  Americans,  without  the 
erders  or  knowledge  of  the  commanding  officer.  On  the  next 
morning.  Colonel  Stone  received  an  order  from  General 
Brown,  stating  that  the  accountability  for  burning  the  houses 
at  St.  Davids,  must  rest  with  the  senior  officer  :  that  it  was 
directly  contrary  to  the  orders  of  government,  and  of  the 
commanding  general.  The  order  concludes  in  these  words, 
"  Lieutenant  Colonel  Stone  will  retire  from  the  army." 
Whether  Colonel  Stone  was  guilty  of  negligence  in  not  pre- 
venting the  conflagration,  does  not  appear.  But  his  friends 
Considered  this  proceeding,  as  a  manifest  usurpation  of  au- 
thority not  warranted  by  any  law  ;  they  claimed  that  an  officer, 
holding  a  commission  under  the  President,  holds  it  at  the 
pleasure  of  the  supreme  executive,  and  no  intermediate  supe- 
rior officer,  has  a  right  to  deprive  him  of  his  command,  with- 
out the  intervention  of  a  court  martial,  where  he  mav  be  tried 


iai4.  HISTORY  OF    THE  LATE  WAR.  373 

hy  his  j)eers,  and  have  an  opportunity  of  estabhshing  his  in- 
nocence. No  person  fit  to  bear  a  commission,  would  consent 
to  hold  one  subject  to  the  disgraceful  condition  of  a  dismissal 
at  the  will  of  an  officer  a  grade  or  two  above  him.  This  con- 
duct of  General  Brown's  passed  without  censure,  and  was  al- 
luded to  with  approbation,  in  a  letter  from  the  secretary  of 
state  to  Admiral  Cochrane. 

On  the  20th,  General  Brown  advanced  with  his  army  to- 
wards fort  George,  drove  in  the  outposts,  and  encamped  near 
the  fort,  in  the  expectation  that  the'^British  would  come  out 
and  give  him  battle.  On  the  22d,  he  returned  to  his  former 
position  at  Queenston  ;  here  he  received  a  letter  from  Gene- 
ral Gaines,  informing  him  that  the  heavy  guns,  and  the  rifle 
regiment,  which  he  had  ordered  from  Sackett's  harbour,  togeth- 
er with  the  whole  fleet,  were  blockaded  in  that  port,  and  no 
assistance  was  to  be  expected  from  them.  On  the  24th,  he 
fell  back  to  Chippewa,  and  on  the  25th,  received  intelligence 
that  the  enemy,  having  received  large  reinforcements  from 
Kingston,  were  advancing  upon  him.  The  first  brigade  under 
General  Scott,  Towser's  artillery,  all  the  dragoons  and  mount- 
ed men,  were  immediately  put  in  motion  on  the  Queenston 
road. 

Battle  of  Niagara,  On  his  arrival  at  the  Niagara  cataract. 
General  Scott  learned  that  the  British  were  in  force  directly 
in  his  front,  separated  only  by  a  narrow  piece  of  wood. 
Having  despatched  this  intelligence  to  General  Brown,  he 
advanced  upon  the  enemy,  and  the  action  commenced  at  six 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  Although  General  Ripley  with  the 
second  brigade.  Major  Hendman  with  the  corps  of  artillery, 
and  General  Porter  with  the  volunteers,  pressed  forward  with 
ardour  ;  it  was  an  hour  before  they  could  be  brought  up  to 
his  support,  during  this  time  his  brigade  alone  sustained  the 
conflict.  General  Scott  had  pressed  through  the  wood,  and 
engaged  the  British  on  the  Queenston  road,  with  the  9th,  11th, 
and  12th  regiments,  the  25th  having  been  thrown  on  the  right. 
The  fresh  troops  under  General  Ripley,  having  arrived,  now 


374  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  17. 

advanced  to  relieve  General  Scott,  whose  exhausted  brigade 
formed  a  reserve  in  the  rear.     The  British  artillery  had  taken 
post  on  a  commanding  eminence,  at  the  head  of  Lundy's  lane, 
supported  by  a  line  of  infantry,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  Amer- 
ican batteries.     This  was  the  key  of  the  whole  position  ;  fi'ora 
hence  they  poured  a  most  deadly  fire  on  the  American  ranks. 
It  became  necessary  either  to  leave  the  ground,  or  to  carry 
this  post  and  seize  the  height.     The  latter  desperate  task  was 
assigned  to   Colonel   Miller.      On  receiving  the  order  from 
General  Brown,  he  calmly  surveyed  the  position, and  answered, 
"  I   WILL  TRY,  SIR,"  which  cxprcssion   was   afterwards    the 
motto  of  his  regiment.     The  first  regiment,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Nicholas,  were  ordered  to  menace  the  Brit- 
ish infantry,  and  support  Colonel  Miller  in  the  attack.     This 
corps,  after  a  discharge  or  two,  gave  way  and  left  him  without 
support.     Without  regarding  this  occurrence,  Colonel  Miller 
advanced  coolly  and  steadily  to  his  object,  amid  a  tremendous 
fire,  and  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  carried  the  artillery  and 
ihe  height.     The  guns  were  immediately  turned  upon  the  en- 
emy ;  General  Ripley  now  brought  up  the  23d  regiment,  to 
the  support  of  Colonel  Miller  ;  the  first  regiment  was  rallied 
and  brought  into   line,  and  the  British  were  driven   from  the 
hill.     At  this  time  Major  Jessup,  with  the  25th  regiment,  was 
engaged  in  a  most  obstinate  conflict,  with  all   the  British  that 
remained  on  the  field.     He   had  succeeded  in    turnfng   the 
British  left  flank.     Captain  Ketchum,  with  a  detachment  of 
this  regiment,  succeeded  in  gaining   the  rear  of  the  British 
lines,  at  the  point  where  Generals  Drummond  and  Riall,  with 
their  suites,  had  taken  their  stations,  and  made  them  all  prison- 
ers.    The   British   officers,  mistaking  this  detachment  for  a 
company   of  their  own  men,  were  ordering  them  to  press  on 
to  the  comhat,  when  Captain  Ketchum  stepped  forward  and 
coolly  observed,  that  he  had  the  honour  to  command  at  that 
time,  and  immediately  conducted  the  officers  and  their  suites, 
into  the  rear  of  the  American  lines  ;  General  Drummond,  in  the 
confusion  of  the  scene,  made  his  escape.     The  British  rallied 


1824.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  375 

under  the  hill,  and  made  a  desperate  attempt  to  regain  their 
artillery,  and  drive  the  Americans  from  their  position,  but 
without  success  ;  a  second  and  third  attempt  was  made  with 
the  like  result.  General  Scott  was  engaged  in  repelling  these 
attacks,  and  though  with  his  shoulder  fractured,  and  a  severe 
wound  in  the  side,  continued  at  the  head  of  his  column,  en- 
deavouring to  turn  the  enemy's  right  flank.  The  volunteers 
under  General  Porter,  during  the  last  charge  of  the  British, 
precipitated  themselves  upon  their  lines,  broke  them,  and 
took  a  large  number  of  prisoners.  General  Brown,  during 
the  whole  action,  was  at  the  most  exposed  points,  directing 
and  animating  his  troops.  Pie  received  a  severe  wound  on 
the  thigh,  and  in  the  side,  and  would  have  given  the  command 
to  General  Scott,  but  on  inquiring,  found  that  he  was  severe- 
ly wounded.  He  continued  at  the  head  of  his  troops  until  the 
last  effort  of  the  British  was  repulsed,  when  loss  of  blood 
obliged  him  to  retire ;  he  then  consigned  the  command  to  Gen- 
eral Ripley.  At  twelve  o'clock,  both  parties  retired  from  the 
field  to  their  respective  encampments,  fatigued  and  satiated 
with  slaughter.  The  battle  continued  with  but  little  inter- 
mission, from  six  in  the  afternoon,  until  twelve  at  night.  Af- 
ter Colonel  Miller  had  taken  the  battery,  and  driven  the  Brit- 
ish from  the  heights,  and  General  Riall  and  suite  had  been  ta- 
ken, there  was  a  short  cessation,  and  the  enemy  appeared  to 
be  about  yielding  the  ground,  when  reinforcements  arrived  to 
their  aid,  and  the  battle  was  renewed  with  redoubled  fury  for 
another  space  of  two  hours  ;  much  of  this  time  the  combat- 
ants were  within  a  few  yards  of  each  other,  and  several  times, 
officers  were  found  commanding  enemy  platoons.  Captain 
Spencer,  aid  to  General  Brown,  was  despatched  with  orders 
to  one  of  the  regiments  ;  when  about  to  deliver  them,  he  sud- 
denly found  himself  in  contact  with  a  British  corps  ;  with 
great  coolness,  and  a  firm  air,  he  inquired  what  regiment  is 
this  ?  On  being  answered,  the  Royal  Scotts,  he  immediatelyre- 
plied,  Royal  Scotts,  remain  as  you  are  !  the  commandant  of  the 
corps,  supposing  the  orders  came  from  his  commanding  gen- 


376  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chat.  IT. 

eral,  immediately  halted  his  regiment,  and  Captain  Spencer 
rode  off.  Colonel  Miller's  achievement,  instormingthe  bat- 
tery, was  of  the  most  brilliant  and  hazardous  nature  ;  it  was 
decisive  of  the  events  of  the  battle  :  and  entitled  him,  and 
his  corps  to  the  highest  applause  ;  most  of  the  officers  en- 
gaged in  that  enterprise  were  killed  or  wounded.  The  battle 
was  fought  to  the  west  of,  and  within  half  a  mile  of  the  Niag- 
ara cataract.  The  thunder  of  the  cannon,  the  roaring  of  the 
falls,  the  incessant  discharge  of  musketry,  the  groans  of  the 
dying  and  wounded  during  the  six  hours  in  which  the  parties 
were  engaged  in  close  combat,  heightened  by  the  circum- 
stance of  its  being  in  the  night,  afforded  such  a  scene,  as  i.'^ 
rarely  to  be  met  with  in  the  history  of  human  slaughter.  The 
evening  was  calm,  and  the  moon  shone  with  lustre,  when  not 
enveloped  in  clouds  of  smoke  from  the  firing  of  the  contend- 
ing armies.  Considering  the  numbers  engaged,  few  contests 
have  ever  been  more  sanguinary. 

General  Drummond,  soon  after  the  battle  of  the  5th,  had 
been  concentrating  his  forces,  and  receiving  reinforcements 
from  Kingston,  for  a  general  attack  on  the  American  troops, 
and  in  the  battle  of  the  25th,  they  were  all  engaged  to  the 
amount  of  five  thousand  ;  many  of  them,  troops  selected  from 
the  flower  of  the  army  of  Lord  Wellington.  General  Brown 
had  failed  in  receiving  his  expected  reinforcements  from  Sack- 
ott's  Harbour  ;  many  of  his  Indians  had  left  him,  and  most  of 
his  troops  were  soldiers  of  less  than  one  year's  experience. 
But  the  general  had  done  every  thing  which  his  limited  means 
could  accomplish  to  ensure  success.  With  the  aid  of  General 
Porter,  he  had  assembled  a  considerable  force  of  militia  and 
volunteers  ;  his  whole  army  may  be  estimated  at  about  four 
thousand.  With  the  aid  of  his  officers,  he  had  instructed,  and 
infused  into  them  a  spirit  of  bravery  and  discipline,  which  ena- 
bled them  to  meet,  and  successfully  combat  British  veterans. 
This  was  unquestionably  the  most  severe  and  bloody  battle 
that  was  fought  during  the  war.  One-fifth  of  the  combatants 
on  each  side,  were  put  hors  de  combat.     On  the   American 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  377 

side,  the  commanding  general,  and  the  second  in  command, 
were  severely  wounded.  On  the  British,  their  commander 
in  chief  was  wounded,  and  for  a  few  minutes  a  prisoner,  and 
the  second  in  command  severely  wounded  and  captured. 
General  Brown  states  his  loss  to  be, 

Killed, 171 

Wounded, 572 

Missing,       -         -         .         -         .         -         117 

860 
General  Drummond  acknowledges  a  loss  of, 

Killed, 84 

Wounded, 559 

Missing  and  Prisoners,  -         -         -         235 


878 
On  the  morning  of  the  26th,  Generals  Ripley  and  Porter 
reconnoitered  the  batde  ground,  and  found  there  parties  of 
the  British  on  the  same  errand.  Neither  Americans  nor  Brit- 
ish appeared  disposed  to  renew  the  bloody  scenes  of  the  pre- 
ceding night.  In  their  official  reports,  both  claimed  the  vie. 
tory.  But  considering  the  number  and  nature  of  American 
troops  compared  with  the  British,  the  honours  of  the  day  un- 
questionably belong  to  the  former ;  the  latter  were  the  first 
to  leave  the  field.  From  the  reinforcements  which  they  had 
recendy  received  from  Kingston,  their  army  after  the  battle 
was  evidently  superior  to  the  American  ;  and  the  latter  under 
the  command  of  General  Ripley,  on  the  26th,  fell  back  to 
fort  Erie.  General  Brown  retired  to  Buffalo,  and  General 
Scott  to  Batavia,  to  recover  from  their  wounds.  Captain 
Ambrose  Spencer,  son  of  the  chief  justice  of  New- York,  and 
aid  to  General  Brown,  was  mortally  wounded  in  the  action, 
and  taken  prisoner  ;  Captain  Loring,  aid  to  General  Drum- 
mond, was  also  made  prisoner,  but  not  wounded.  Soon  after 
the  batde.  General  Brown  received  a  proposition  from  Gen- 
eral Drummond,  for  a  mutual  exchange  of  their  aids.    For  ob- 

48 


378  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  17, 

vious  reasons,  it  is  not  according  to  the  usages  of  war,  to 
offer  or  accept  a  wounded  man  in  exchange  for  one  who  is 
well,  but  from  motives  of  affection  for  his  aid,  and  from  respect 
to  the  feelings  of  his  parents,  General  Brown  was  in  this  in- 
stance induced  to  listen  to  the  proposition,  and  sent  a  flag  to 
ascertain  whether  Captain  Spencer  was  living.  The  flag 
was  not  permitted  to  see  the  prisoner,  or  communicate  with 
his  surgeon.  On  the  return  of  the  flag,  General  Brown  sent 
the  brother  of  Captain  Spencer,  with  a  note  to  General  Drum- 
mond,  introducing  the  brother,  and  requesting  that  he  migh 
be'permitted  to  see  and  attend  upon  him,  and  assuring  the. 
general  that  Captain  Loring,  should  be  exchanged  for  Cap- 
tain Spencer  if  living,  or  for  his  corpse  if  dead.  The  brother 
returned  the  next  day  with  the  corpse,  bearing  a  note  from 
General  Drummond,  claiming  the  discharge  of  Captain  Lor- 
ing ;  which  General  Brown,  faithful  to  his  engagements  com- 
phed  with. 

British  expedition  to  Black  Rock,  repulsed.  At  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  August,  a  detachment  of  twelve 
hundred  British,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Tucker,  cross- 
ed the  Niagara  at  Squaw  Island, a  litde  below  Black  Rock,  with 
a  view  of  capturing  General  Brown,  then  confined  at  Buftalo 
with  his  wounds,  recapturing  General  Riall,  and  destroying 
the  stores.  Major  Morgan,  who  was  stationed  at  the  Rock 
with  a  battalion  of  riflemen,  took  a  position  behind  Conjocta 
creek,  destroyed  the  bridge,  and  commenced  an  attack  on  the 
British  as  soon  as  they  arrived  within  rifle  distance.  After  a 
conflict  of  two  hours,  the  British  were  driven  back,  and  com- 
pelled to  recross  the  river,  with  the  loss  of  six  men  taken,  and 
several  killed  and  wounded.  On  the  4th,  General  Gaines 
arrived  from  Sackett's  Harbour,  and  took  command  of  the 
army  during  the  confinement  of  General  Brown. 

Fort  Erie  invested.  vVs  the  Americans  retired  to  fort  Eric, 
the  British  advanced  and  invested  the  fort,  taking  a  positioii 
two  miles  distant  in  front,  and  separated  from  it  by  a  wood. 
iFort  Eric  is  situated  on  the  margin  of  the  lake,  at  its  outlet 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  379 

into  the  Niagara  river  ;  being  nearly  a  horizontal  plain,  fif- 
teen feet  above  the  level  of  the  water,  it  possesses  no  natural 
advantages.  It  was  protected  in  front  by  a  temporary  par- 
apet, breastworks,  entrenchments,  and  abattes,  with  two  bat- 
teries mounting  six  field  pieces.  This  small  unfinished  fort, 
with  a  twenty-four,  eighteen,  and  twelve  pounder,  formed  tht^ 
aorth-east  ;  aud  the  Douglass  battery  with  an  eighteen,  and 
six  pounder,  near  the  edge  of  the  lake,  the  south-east  angle 
*)f  the  right  of  General  Gaines's  position  on  the  13th  of  August. 
His  left  was  defended  by  a  redoubt  battery  thrown  up  on  a. 
small  ridge  with  six  field  pieces.  His  rear  was  open  to  the 
lake,  bordered  by  a  rocky  shore  of  easy  ascent.  Captain 
Towson's  artillery  was  stationed  at  the  battery  on  the  left. 
The  fort  was  defended  by  Captain  Williams,  with  Major 
Trimble's  command  of  the  19th  infantry  ;  the  batteries  in  front 
by  Captains  Biddle  and  Fanning.  The  whole  of  the  artillery- 
was  under  the  command  of  Major  Hindman.  Part  of  the 
veteran  first  brigade,  late  under  the  command  of  General 
Scott,  were  posted  on  the  right,  under  the  command  of  Colo- 
nel Aspenwall.  The  second  brigade,  under  General  Ripley, 
defended  the  left.  General  Porter's  brigade  of  New-York, 
and  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  with  the  riflemen,  occupied  the 
centre.  On  the  12th,  General  Gaines  detached  Major  Mor- 
gan with  his  corps,  to  cut  off  a  working  party  of  the  British, 
engaged  in  clearing  the  woods,  and  opening  an  avenue  to  the 
fort ;  Major  Morgan  was  killed  at  the  head  of  his  detachment, 
(ind  the  party  returned  without  effecting  the  object.  The 
enemy  succeeded  in  establishing  their  works  within  four  hun- 
dred yards  of  the  fort.  On  the  evening  of  the  1 2th,  they 
boarded  and  captured  two  schooners  ;  and  on  the  morning  of 
the  1 3th,  commenced,  and  continued  during  the  whole  of  that 
and  the  next  day,  a  brisk  cannonade,  which  was  returned 
from  the  American  batteries,  but  without  any  considerable 
effect  on  cither  side.  The  British  having  received  consider- 
Sible  reinforcements,  were  preparing  for  an  assault.  At  sun- 
feet  on  the  14th,  one  of  their  shells  lodged  in  a  small  maga- 


3S0  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chap  17. 

zine  which  blew  up,  but  without  any  injurious  effects.  It 
occasioned  a  momentary  cessation  of  firing,  and  was  immedi- 
ately followed  by  a  loud  shout  from  the  British  troops,  which 
was  instantly  answered  by  the  Americans  ;  and  Captain  Wil- 
liams, amid  the  smoke  of  the  explosion,  renewed  the  contest 
by  an  animated  discharge  of  the  heavy  artillery. 

Assault,  General  Gaines,  expecting  an  assaultin  the  course 
of  the  night,  kept  his  men  constantly  at  their  posts.  The 
night  was  dark,  and  the  early  part  of  it  rainy  ;  at  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  the  British  columns  enveloped  in  darkness^ 
were  distinctly  heard  approaching  the  American  lines.  The 
infantry  under  Major  Wood,  and  Captain  Towson's  artillery 
opened  a  brisk  fire  upon  them.  The  sheet  of  fire  from  this 
corps,  enabled  General  Gaines  to  discover  this  column  of  the 
British, fifteen  hundred  strong,  approaching  the  American  left. 
The  infantry  were  protected  by  a  line  of  loose  brush  repre- 
senting an  abattis  bordering  on  the  river.  The  British  in  at- 
tempting to  pass  round  this,  plunged  into  the  water  breast 
high.  The  commanding  general  was  about  to  order  a  de- 
tachment of  riflemen  to  support  Major  Wood,  but  was  assured 
by  him  that  he  could  maintain  his  j)osition  without  a  rein- 
forcement. The  British  columns  were  twice  repulsed,  and 
soon  afterwards  fled  in  confusion.  On  the  right,  the  lines 
were  lighted  by  a  brilliant  discharge  of  musketry  and  cannon, 
which  announced  the  approach  of  the  centre  and  left  columns 
of  the  enemy.  The  latter  met  the  veteran  9th  regiment,  and 
Burton's  and  Harding's  companies  of  volunteers,  aided  by  a 
six  pounder,  and  were  repulsed.  The  centre  column  under 
Colonel  Drummond,  approached  at  the  same  time  the  most 
assailable  points  of  the  fort,  and  with  scaling  ladders  ascend- 
ed the  parapet,  but  were  driven  back  with  great  carnage. 
The  assault  was  twice  repeated,  and  as  often  checked ;  this 
column  concealed  by  the  darkness  of  the  night,  and  the  clouds- 
of  smoke  which  rolled  from  the  cannon  and  musketry,  then 
passed  round  the  ditch,  repeated  their  charge,  reascended 
their  ladders,  and  with  their  pikes,  bayonets,  and  spears,  fell 


UU.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  381 

upon  the  artillerists.  Most  of  the  officers,  and  many  of  the 
men,  received  deadly  wounds.  Lieutenant  M'Donough  be- 
ing severely  wounded,  and  in  the  power  of  the  enemy,  sur- 
r  endered  and  demanded  quarter  ;  Colonel  Drummond,  refus- 
ing  it,  drew  a  pistol  and  shot  him  dead.  In  a  moment  after- 
wards, as  he  was  repeating  the  order  to  give  no  quarters. 
Colonel  Drummond  was  shot  through  the  heart.  The  bas- 
tion was  now  in  the  possession  of  the  British.  The  battle 
raged  with  increased  fury  on  the  right  ;  reinforcements  were 
ordered  and  promptly  furnished  from  Major  Wood's  corps  on 
the  left.  Captain  Fanning  kept  up  a  spirited  and  destructive 
fire  from  his  artillery  on  the  enemy  as  they  were  approaching 
the  fort.  Majors  Hindman  and  Trimble,  failing  to  drive  the 
British  from  the  bastion,  with  the  remaining  artillerists,  and 
infantry,  and  Captain  BirdsalPs  detachment  of  riflemen,  rush- 
ed in  through  the  gate-way,  to  the  assistance  of  the  right 
wing,  and  made  a  resolute  charge.  A  detachment,  under 
Major  Hall,  was  introduced  over  the  interior  of  the  bastion, 
for  the  purpose  of  charging  the  British  who  still  held  posses- 
sion, but  the  narrowness  of  the  passage,  admitting  only  two 
or  three  abreast,  prevented  its  accomplishment,  and  they 
were  obliged  to  retire.  At  this  moment,  every  operation  was 
arrested  by  the  explosion  of  the  principal  magazine,  contain- 
ing a  large  quantity  of  cartridges  and  powder,  in  the  end  of  a 
stone  building  adjoining  the  contested  bastion.  Whether  this 
was  the  effect  of  accident  or  design,  was  not  known.  The 
explosion  was  tremendous,  and  its  effects  decisive.  The 
British  in  possession  of  the  bastion  were  destroyed  in  a  mo- 
ment. As  soon  as  the  tumult  accasioned  by  that  event  had 
subsided.  Captain  Biddle  posted  a  field  piece,  so  as  to  enfilade 
the  exterior  plain,  and  the  sahent  glacis.  Fanning's  battery 
at  the  same  time  opened  on  the  British  who  were  now  return- 
ing. In  a  few  minutes  they  were  all  driven  from  the  works, 
leaving  two  hundred  and  twenty-two  killed,  one  hundred 
and  seventy-four  wounded  on  the  field,  and  one  hundred 
eighty-six  prisoners.     To  these  losses  are  to  be  added,  thosp 


382  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  CuAf.  tT. 

killed  on  the  left  flank  by  Major  Wood's  infantry,  and  To\v- 
son's  artillery,  and  floated  down  the  Niagara,  estimated  in  the 
official  reports,  at  two  hundred.  The  American  loss  during 
the  bombardment  of  the  13th  and  14th,  was  nine  killed,  and 
thirty-six  wounded,  and  in  the  assault  of  the  night  of  the  14th, 
seventeen  killed,  fifty-six  wounded,  and  eleven  missing.* 

On  the  2d  of  September,  General  Brown  had  so  far  re- 
covered of  his  wounds  as  to  be  able  to  resume  the  command  ; 
and  General  Gaines  was  removed  to  Philadelphia  to  take 
charge  of  the  defence  of  the  Delaware,  as  commanding  gen- 
eral of  the  4th  military  district.  General  Drummond's  main 
body  was  encamped  in  a  cleared  field,  surrounded  with  woods, 
two  miles  in  front  of  fort  Erie.  This  position  was  taken  in 
order  that  that  part  of  his  force  which  was  not  on  duty  might  be 
out  of  the  reach  of  the  guns  of  the  fort,  and  of  the  artillery  at 
Black  Rock.  His  infantry  was  formed  into  three  brigades  of 
twelve  hundred  men  each  ;  his  works  w^ere  advanced  within 
four  hundred  yards  of  the  right  of  the  American  lines.  One 
of  the  brigades,  with  a  detachment  of  artillery,  was  stationed 
at  this  advance,  and  relieved  by  one  of  the  other  brigades 
each  day,  and  the  two  at  the  encampment  were  held  in  con- 
stant readiness  to  support  the  advance,  in  case  of  an  attack. 
The  British  had  completed  two  batteries  at  this  position,  and 
nearly  finished  a  third,  which  threatened  the  fort  with  de- 
struction. 

Sortie.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  17th,  General  Porter, 
with  a  large  detachment,  was  ordered  to  penetrate  through 
the  woods  by  a  circuitous  rout,  and  get  between  the  British 
main  body  and  their  batteries  ;  while  General  Miller  was 
directed  to  take  a  position  in  the  ravine,  between  the  American 
lines  and  the  batteries,  and  attack  them  in  front.  The  ad- 
vance of  General  Porter's  command,  consisted  of  two  hun- 
dred riflemen,  under  Colonel  Gibson.     The  right  column,  of 


*  General  Gaines's  report. 


K^14.  mSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  383 

four  hundred  infantry,  commanded  by  Colonel  Wood  ;  the 
left,  under  General  Davis,  of  five  hundred  militia,  designed  to 
act  as  a  reserve ;  and  to  hold  in  check  any  reinforcements 
from  the  British  main  body.  General  Porter's  corps  car- 
ried the  block-house  in  the  rear  of  the  third  battery,  by 
storm,  the  magazine  was  blown  up,  and  the  garrison  made 
prisoners.  The  leaders  of  the  three  divisions  under  General 
Porter,  all  fell  nearly  at  the  same  time  ;  Colonel  Gibson,  at 
the  head  of  the  riflemen,  at  the  second  battery,  and  General 
Davis,  and  Colonel  Wood,  in  an  assault  upon  the  first. 
While  these  transactions  were  taking  place  in  the  rear  of  the 
enemy's  works.  General  Miller  in  front,  penetrated  between 
the  first  and  second  batteries,  and  aided  by  the  operations  of 
General  Porter  in  the  rear,  succeeded  in  carrying  them. 
Within  thirty  minutes  Jrom  the  commencement  of  the  action, 
two  batteries,  two  block-houses,  and  the  whole  line  of  en- 
trenchments were  in  possession  of  the  Americans  ;  and  imme- 
diately afterwards,  the  other  battery  was  abandoned  by  the 
British.  General  Ripley  was  now  ordered  up  with  the 
reserve,  and  at  the  close  of  the  action,  was  dangerously  woun- 
ded in  the  neck.  Strong  reinforcements  from  the  British 
main  body  arrived  while  the  Americans  were  engaged  in  de- 
stroying the  works,  and  took  part  in  the  action.  The  object 
of  the  sortie  being  fully  accomplished,  the  American  troops 
were  ordered  to  return  to  the  fort.  During  the  action,  General 
Porter,  in  passing  from  the  right  to  the  left  column  of  his 
detachment,  accompanied  with  only  two  or  three  officers, 
suddenly  found  himself  within  a  few  yards  of  a  body  of  sixty 
British  soldiers,  who  had  just  emerged  from  a  ravine,  and 
were  hesitating  which  way  to  go.  The  general  immediately 
advanced,  and  ordered  them  to  surrender ;  approaching  the 
first  man  on  the  left,  he  took  his  musket,  and  pushed  him 
towards  the  American  lines  :  in  this  way  he  proceeded  nearly 
through  the  whole  company,  most  of  the  men  voluntarily 
throwing  down  their  arms,  and  retiring  towards  the  fort  : 


384  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  17. 

when  on  a  sudden,  a  soldier,  whose  musket  the  general  was 
about  to  seize,  presented  the  bayonet  to  his  breast,  and  de- 
manded his  surrender.  General  Porter  seized  the  musket, 
and  was  about  wrenching  it  from  him,  when  he  was  seized  by 
a  British  officer,  and  three  or  four  men  who  stood  in  the  ranks, 
and  thrown  on  the  ground.  He  succeeded  in  gaining  his  feet, 
when  he  found  himself  surrounded  by  fifteen  or  twenty  men, 
with  jtheir  guns  presented  at  him,  demanding  his  surrender ; 
by  this  time,  several  American  officers,  with  a  number  of  men 
were  advancing  to  the  scene  of  action.  General  Porter,  now 
assuming  an  air  of  composure,  and  decision,  told  them  they 
were  now  surrounded  and  prisoners,  and  if  they  fired  a  gun 
they  should  all  be  put  to  the  sword.  By  this  time  a  company 
of  Cayuga  riflemen  had  arrived,  and  after  a  momentary  scene 
of  confusion  and  carnage,  the  whole  British  party  were  killed, 
or  made  prisoners.  The  American  loss  was  seventy-nine 
killed,  and  four  hundred  and  thirty-two  wounded  and  missing. 
The  killed  and  wounded  of  the  British,  were  estimated  by  the 
American  general  at  five  hundred.  Three  hundred  and 
eighty-five  prisoners  were  taken  ;  their  advance  works  de- 
stroyed, and  the  garrison  relieved  from  any  further  apprehen- 
sions of  bombardment  or  assault.  On  the  night  of  the  21st, 
General  Drummond,  after  an  investment  of  fifty-six  days, 
raised  the  seige  of  fort  Erie,  broke  up  his  encampment,  and 
retired  to  his  entrenchments  behind  the  Chippewa. 

General  Izard  takes  the  Command.  The  Niagara  frontier 
was  treated,  throughout  this  campaign,  as  the  most  important 
point.  General  Izard,  who  commanded  the  army  at  Pitts- 
burgh, had  been  ordered  with  the  main  body,  early  in  August 
to  reinforce  General  Brown  ;  he  proceeded  to  Sackett's  Har- 
bour, and  not  deeming  it  safe  to  venture  his  troops  by  water, 
continued  his  route  by  land,  with  the  main  body,  to  his  place 
of  destination.  After  a  fatiguing  march  of  more  than  four 
hundred  miles,  over  bad  roads,  he  arrived  at  Buffalo  on  the  1  st 
of  October  :  being  the  senior  major  general,  the  command 
devolved  on  him.  and  General  Brown  took  the  command  at 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  385 

the  harbour.  This  change  of  the  commanding  generals  was 
unfavourable  to  further  operations  on  the  frontier.  General 
Brown  had  obtained  an  adequate  knowledge  of  the  country, 
and  the  perfect  confidence  of  his  troops  ;  General  Izard  was 
a  stranger  to  both. 

Retires  to  Buffalo,  After  the  departure  of  General  Brown, 
General  Izard,  on  examining  the  position  of  fort  Erie,  and 
comparing,  as  well  as  he  was  able,  the  relative  strength  of  the 
the  two  armies,  decided  that  it  was  inexpedient  to  attempt 
further-  offensive  operations  on  the  Peninsula,  removed  the 
troops  from  fort  Erie  to  Buffalo,  and  demolished  the  works. 
General  Scott,  on  recovering  his  wounds,  was  appointed  to 
the  command  of  the  10th  military  district,  embracing  the  dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  and  the  adjacent  country. 
The  campaign  of  eighteen  hundred  and  fourteen,on  the  Niaga- 
ra frontier,  fully  demonstrated  that  American  citizens  furnished 
the  choicest  materials  for  an  army;  that  when  well  disciplined, 
instructed  in  the  art  of  war,  and  led  by  brave  and  enterpris- 
ing generals,  they  were  fully  able  to  meet  on  equal  ground 
the  best  English  troops.  The  same  events  fully  proved  the 
valour,  enterprise,  and  military  skill  of  General  Brown,  and 
the  officers  associated  with  him  in  the. war,  and  retrieved  the 
tarnished  reputation  of  the  American  arms,  on  the  Canada 
border,  the  two  preceding  campaigns.  They  also  furnished 
abundant  materials  to  amuse  and  flatter  the  citizens  with  the 
relation  of  deeds  of  heroic  valour.  They  weakened  the 
numerical  strength  of  the  British  army  about  three  thousand, 
and  the  Americans  nearly  the  same  ;  and  left  both  parties  in 
possession  of  the  same  ground,  which  they  occupied  at  the 
commencement  of  the  campaign. 


49 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Colonel  Crogan's  Expedition  to  Lake  Huron. — Unsuccessful  attempt 
on  Michillimackinac— Destroys  the  British  Post  at  Nautawesago 
River. — Returns  to  Detroit.— Capture  of  two  American  Schooners  on 
Lake  Huron. — Arrival  of  Reinforcements  at  Quebec — General 
Izard's  army  leaves  Plattsburgh  for  Niagara. — General  Prevost  ad- 
vances in  force  from  Montreal  towards  Plattsburgh. — Enters  Platts- 
burgh, and  encamps  on  the  left  of  the  Saranac— ^Waits  the  approach 
of  his  fleet. — Naval  battle  on  the  11th  of  September,  on  the  Bay  of 
Plattsburgh. — M'Donough's  Victory. — Simultaneous  Attack  on  the 
American  lines. — British  attempt  to  cross  the  Saranac  ;  are  repul- 
sed.— Retreat  of  the  British  Army  from  Plattsburgh.— Amount  of  the 
British  and  American  Land  and  Naval  Forces. — Losses  in  each  Army 
and  Navy. 

Expedition  lo  Lake  Huron,  For  the  security  of  Detroit, 
and  the  Michigan  territory,  General  M'Arthur,  commandant 
of  the  8th  mihtary  district,  directed  the  estabhshment  of  a 
mihtary  post,  called  fort  Gratiot,  at  the  head  of  the  straits 
of  St.  Clair,  to  secure  the  communication  between  Detroit 
and  lake  Huron.  A  squadron  of  five  small  vessels,  under 
Commodore  St.  Clair,  left  Detroit  about  the  first  of  July  witli 
^  detachment  of  five  hundred  troops,  under  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Crogan,  the  gallant  defender  of  fort  Stevenson,  pass- 
ed the  straits,  and  entered  lake  Huron  on  the  llth,  taking 
with  them  the  principal  part  of  the  garrison  of  fort  Gratiot. 
They  first  proceeded  to  the  British  post  of  St.  Joseph's,  at 
the  entrance  of  lake  Superior  ;  finding  this  post  evacuated, 
they  set  fire  to  it,  and  proceeded  to  fort  Michillimackinac, 
which  they  found  strongly  garrisoned.  The  British,  Cana- 
dians, and  Indians  came  out  in  numbers  greatly  superior  to 
the  Americans,  attacked,  and  drove  them  back  to  their  ship^ 


388  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  18 

with  the  loss  of  xMajor  Holmes,  the  second  in  command,  and 
twelve  privates  killed,  and  fifty-one  wounded. 

While  the  navigation  of  lake  Erie  was  in  the  possession  of 
the  Americans,  the  channel  of  communication  between  Mon- 
treal and  lake  Superior,  Michillimackinac  and  the  British 
posts,  to  the  north-west,  was  by  the  way  of  lake  Simcoe  and 
the  Nautawesago  river,  to  lake  Huron.  From  the  British 
depot  at  York,  to  the  mouth  of  this  river,  the  distance  did  not 
exceed  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  ;  much  of  the  way  was 
water  passage  for  canoes  and  small  boats  ;  the  British  had  here 
established  a  post,  where  considerable  supplies  for  the  north- 
west were  deposited;  these  were  to  be  transported  in  small  ves- 
sels across  lake  Huron,  to  their  places  of  destination.  After 
Colonel  Crogan's  unsuccessful  attempt  on  Michillimackinac, 
he  proceeded  to  this  place,  and  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river  on  the  3d  of  August.  Here  he  found  a  British  schooner 
drawn  a  few  hundred  yards  up  the  river,  and  protected  by  a 
battery  covered  by  a  block-house.  On  the  14th,  he  landed 
his  artillery  and  drew  it  up  near  the  block-house,  and  com- 
menced a  fire,  which  in  a  few  minutes  blew  up  the  British 
works,  and  set  fire  to  the  schooner.  On  the  15th,  he  left 
the  river  and  returned  to  Detroit,  leaving  two  small  vessels 
uncfer  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Turner,  on  lake  Huron,  to 
intercept  the  communication  with  the  north-western  posts, 
with  orders  to  remain  there  as  long  as  the  navigation  was 
open,  and  strictly  blockade  the  Nautawesago.  Lieutenant 
Worsly,  who  commanded  the  British  schooner  that  had  been 
burned,  with  twenty-two  men,  coasted  round  the  lake  in  ca- 
noes, and  reached  Michillimackinac.  While  Lieutenant 
Turner  commanded  the  navigation  of  lake  Huron,  the  British 
posts  to  the  west  were  suffering  for  the  want  of  supplies,  and 
must  have  soon  surrendered.  Lieutenant  Worsly  applied  to 
the  commandant  at  Michillimackinac,  for  the  aid  of  one  hun- 
dred men,  assuring  him  that  with  them  he  would  bring  in  the 
American  schooners.     The  men  were  furnished,  both  schoon- 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  389 

ers  captured,  and  carried  into  Michillimackinac.  An  uninter- 
rupted communication  was  again  opened  from  the  depots  at 
York  and  Montreal,  to  the  western  posts,  and  the  important 
objects  of  Colonel  Crogan's  expedition  defeated. 

Arrival  of  reinforcements  at  Montreal.  About  the  1st  of 
August,  the  powerful  reinforcements  which  had  been  ordered 
from  the  armies  in  Spain,  to  Governor  Prevost''s  aid,  arrived 
at  Quebec,  and  were  immediately  pushed  up  to  Montreal. 
Large  detachments  passed  on  to  Kingston,  and  the  Niagara 
frontiers.  These  demonstrations  induced  the  order  for  Gen- 
eral Izard  to  proceed  tojoin  General  Brown,  with  the  main  body. 
While  the  army  were  making  this  movement  the  only  opportuni- 
ties for  their  active  service  were  lost.  Their  brethren  at  Platts- 
burgh  and  Niagara  were  gathering  laurels  at  the  expense  of 
much  blood,  while  they  were  performing  this  circuitous  march. 
Plattsburgh  was  the  principal  military  and  naval  depot  for 
the  army  of  the  north,  and  the  flotilla  on  lake  Champlain  j 
and  at  this  period,  contained  a  large  quantity  of  military  and 
naval  stores.  The  defence  of  this  post,  after  the  departure 
of  General  Izard,  devolved  on  General  Macomb,  with  fifteen 
hundred  regulars,  and  the  neighbouring  militia  to  be  occasion- 
ally called  on,  as  circumstances  might  render  necessary.  The 
force  under  General  Prevost,  at  Montreal,  within  five  dlys' 
march  of  Plattsburgh,  at  the  time  General  Izard  left  that  post 
for  the  Niagara  frontier,  was  fifteen  thousand  men,  most  of 
them  veterans  of  the  armies  of  Spain.  This  state  of  things 
did  not  escape  the  observation  of  the  British  general.  Im- 
mediately after  the  departure  of  Izard,  Prevost  came  out  with 
his  whole  force  from  Montreal,  and  took  the  road  to  Platts- 
burgh. On  the  1st  of  September,  he  estabhshed  his  head- 
quarters at  Champlain,  within  the  United  States,  and  fifteen 
miles  distant  from  the  American  lines.  Here  he  issued  a 
proclamation  in  the  usual  style  of  invading  generals,  promising 
peace  and  protection  to  the  unoffending  inhabitants  who  re- 
mained at  home,  directing  the  civil  magistrates  to  continue  in 
the  discharge  of  their  duties  ;  and  declaring  that  those  only 


390  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  18. 

who  were  found  in  arms  should  be  treated  as  enemies.  His 
instructions  directed  him  to  penetrate  the  United  States  by 
the  way  of  Plattsburgh  ;  with  the  assistance  of  the  fleet,  which 
it  was  calculated  by  this  time  would  have  gained  the  command 
of  the  lake;  proceed  to  Ticonderoga,  and  from  thence  to  Al- 
bany, or  as  far  on  the  rout  as  was  compatible  with  the  safety 
of  his  army- 

British  Force  advance  to  Plattsburgh.   In  pursuance  of  these 
instructions,  he  advanced  with  slow  and  cautious  marches 
towards  Plattsburgh.     General  Macomb  made  every  exertion 
to  impede  his  progress,  and  prepare  for  the  threatened  attack. 
The  militia  of  Washington,  Warren,  Clinton,  and  Essex  coun- 
ties, were  ordered  out  en  masse.      The  militia  and  volunteers 
from  the  counties  in  Vermont,  bordering  on  the  lake,  came  in 
in  great  numbers.     The  bridges  on  the  route  which  the  Bri- 
tish must  take,  were  broken  up,  the  road  abatted,  and  every 
possible  impediment  thrown  in  the  way  of  their  passage.    On 
the  6th  of  September,  the  British  advance  was  met  at  Bate- 
mantown,  six  miles  from  Plattsburgh  by  a  corps  of  seven 
hundred  militia  under  General  Mooers.     After  some  slight 
skirmishing,  the  mihtia  discovered  the  New- York  state  dra- 
goons, a  very  handsome  corps  in  red  uniforms,  reconnoitering 
on  the  heights  in  their  rear ;  supposing  them  to  be  British 
troops  who  were  endeavouring  to  cut  them  off,  they  broke 
and  fled  in  every  direction  ;  and  on  the  same  day  the  British 
advanced  into  Plattsburgh ;  the  right  column  led  by  Major 
General  Powers,  supported  by  General  Robinson,  and  the 
left  by  General  Brisbane.     The  whole  under  command  of 
Sir  George  Prevost.     The  American   troops  retired  to  the 
south  side  of  the  Saranac,  took  up  the  bridges,  and  made 
breastworks  of  them  on  the  south  bank,  and  guarded  the  ford- 
ways. 

The  village  of  Plattsburgh  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the 
western  shore  of  lake  Champlain,  on  the  margin  of  a  bay, 
formed,  by  the  projection  of  Cumberland  point  into  the  lake. 
At  the  end  of  this  point,  is  a  hie^h  bluff",  called  Cumberland 


5  814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  391 

head.  The  Saranac  river  comes  in  from  the  west,  passes 
through  the  village,  and  empties  into  the  bay.  Several 
bridges  were  erected  over  this  river,  near  the  village  ;  and 
three  miles  from  its  mouth,  the  river  was  fordable.  Scouting 
and  reconnoitering  parties  were  constantly  kept  out  on  the 
British  flanks  to  harass  their  march,  and  watch  their  motions. 
The  American  troops  were  posted  in  their  works  on  the  high 
grounds,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Saranac.  General  Macomb 
employed  his  men  constantly  in  strengthening  these  works ; 
in  order  to  excite  emulation  among  them,  he  parcelled  out 
different  parts  of  the  works  to  different  corps,  assuring  them 
that  the  defence  of  that  particular  portion  of  the  works  on 
which  each  corps  laboured,  should  be  intrusted  to  them. 

Naval  Battle  on  Lake  Champlain.  The  American  fleet, 
under  Commodore  M'Donough,  lay  at  anchor  in  the  bay, 
on  the  right  flank  of  the  American  lines,  and  two  miles  distant. 
Great  exertions  had  been  made  by  both  parties  to  produce  a 
superior  naval  force  on  this  lake ;  the  Americans  at  Otter 
Creek,  and  the  British  at  the  Isle  aux  Noix.  On  comparing 
their  relative  strength  on  the  1 1th  of  September,  the  Ame- 
rican f^eet  consisted  of  the  Saratoga,  flag  ship,  mounting  26 
guns;  Eagle,  20  guns;  Ticondcroga,  17  guns;  Preble,  7 
guns  ;  six  galleys,  of  two  guns  each,  12  guns  ;  four  of  one,  4 
guns  ;  making  in  the  whole,  86  guns  :  and  eight  hundred  and 
twenty  men.  The  British  fleet  consisted  of  the  frigate  Con- 
fiance,  flag  ship,  mounting  39  guns ;  Linnet,  1 6  guns  ; 
Cherub,  1 1  guns  ;  Finch,  1 1  guns  ;  five  galleys,  of  two  guns 
each,  10  guns  ;  eight,  of  one,  8  guns,  making  in  the  whole 
95  guns  :  and  one  thousand  and  twenty  men. 

The  British  land  forces  employed  themselves  from  the  7th 
to  the  11th,  in  bringing  up  their  heavy  artillery  ;  and  strength- 
ening their  works  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Saranac.  Their 
fortified  encampment,  was  on  a  ridge  a  little  to  the  west  of  the 
town,  their  right  near  the  river,  and  their  left  resting  on  the 
lake,  one  mile  in  the  rear  of  the  village.  Having  determined 
on  a  simultaneous  attack  by  land  and  water,  they  lay  in  this 


392  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  liJ- 

position  on  the  morning  of  the  eleventh,  waiting  the  approach 
of  their  fleet.  At  eight  o'clock,  the  wished  for  ships  appear- 
ed under  easy  sail,  moving  round  Cumberland  head  ;  and 
"vvere  hailed  with  joyous  acclamations.  At  nine  they  anchor- 
ed within  three  hundred  yards  of  the  American  squadron  in 
line  of  batde  ;  the  Confiance  opposed  to  the  Saratoga,  the 
Linnet  to  the  Eagle  ;  thirteen  British  galleys  to  the  Ticon- 
deroga,  Preble,  and  a  division  of  the  American  galleys.  The 
Cherub  assisting  the  Confiance  andLinnet,and  theFinchaiding 
the  galleys.  In  this  position,  the  weather  being  perfecUy  clear 
and  calm,  and  the  bay  smooth,  the  whole  force  on  both  sides 
became  at  once  engaged.  At  an  hour  and  a  half,  after  the 
commencement  of  the  action,  the  starboard  guns  of  the  Sara- 
toga were  nearly  all  dismantled.  The  commandant  ordered 
a  stern  anchor  to  be  dropped,  and  the  bower  cable  cut,  by 
means  of  which,  the  ship  rounded  to,  and  presented  a  fresh 
broad  side  to  her  enemy.  The  Confiance  attempted  the  same 
operation  and  failed.  This  was  attended  with  such  powerful 
effects,  that  she  was  obliged  to  surrender  in  a  few  minutes. 
The  whole  broadside  of  the  Saratoga,  was  then  brought  to 
bear  on  the  Linnet,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  she  followed  the 
example  of  her  flag  ship.  One  of  the  British  sloops  struck 
lo  the  Eagle  5  three  galleys  were  sunk,  and  the  rest  made  off : 
no  ship  in  the  fleet  being  in  a  condition  to  follow  them,  they 
escaped  down  the  lake.  There  was  no  mast  standing  in  either 
squadron,  at  the  close  of  the  action,  to  which  a  sail  could  be 
attached.  The  Saratoga  received  fifty-five  round  shot  in  her 
hull,  and  the  Confiance  one  hundred  and  five.  The  action 
lasted  without  any  cessation,  on  a  smooth  sea,  at  close  quar- 
ters, two  hours  and  twenty  minutes.  In  the  American  squad- 
ron fifty-two  were  killed,  and  fifty-eight  wounded.  In  the 
British,  eighty-four  were  killed,  and  one  hundred  and  ten 
wounded.  Among  the  slain  was  the  British  commandant, 
Qommodore  Downie.*     This  engagement  was  in  full  view  of 


*  Commodore  M^Danoog-h's  letter  to  the  secretary  at  war. 


"1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  3:93 

both  armies,  and  of  numerous  spectators  collected  on  the 
lieights,  bordering  on  the  bay,  to  witness  the  scene.  It  was 
viewed  by  the  inhabitants  with  trembling  anxiety,  as  success 
on  the  part  of  the  British,  would  have  opened  to  them  an  easy 
passage  into  the  heart  of  the  country,  and  exposed  a  nume- 
rous population  on  the  borders  of  the  lake,  to  British  ravages. 
When  the  flag  of  theConfiance  was  struck,  the  shores  resound- 
ed with  the  acclamations  of  the  American  troops,  and  citi- 
zens. The  British  when  they  saw  their  fleet  completely  con- 
quered, were  dispirited,  and  confounded. 

At  the  moment  of  the  commencement  of  the  naval  action? 
the  British,  from  their  works  on  shore,  opened  a  heavy  fire  of 
shot,  shells,  and  rockets,  upon  the  American  lines.  This  was 
continued  with  little  interruption  until  sun-set,  and  returned 
with  spirit  and  efiect.  At  six  o'clock,  the  firing  on  the  part 
of  the  British  ceased,  every  battery  having  been  silenced  by 
the  American  artillery.  At  the  commencement  of  the  bom- 
bardment, and  while  the  ships  were  engaged,  three  desperate 
elforts  were  made  by  the  British  to  pass  the  Saranac,  for  the 
purpose  of  carrying  the  American  lines  by  assault.  With  ihin 
view,  scaling  ladders,  fascines,  and  every  implement  necessary 
for  the  purpose,  were  prepared.  One  attempt  was  made  td 
cross,  at  the  village  bridge,  one  at  the  upper  bridge,  and  one 
at  the  ford  way,  three  miles  above  the  works.  At  each  pointy 
they  were  met  at  the  bank  by  the  American  troops  and  re- 
pulsed.  At  the  bridges,  the  American  regulars  immediately 
drove  them  back.  The  ford  was  guarded  by  the  volunteers 
and  militia.  Here  a  considerable  body  of  British  effected  a 
passage,  and  the  militia  retired  into  the  neighbouring  woods, 
where  their  operations  would  be  more  effectual.  A  whole 
company  of  the  7Gth  regiment  was  here  destroyed,  three 
lieutenants,  and  twenty-seven  men  taken,  and  the  captain  and 
the  rest  of  the  company  killed.  The  residue  of  the  British 
were  obliged  to  recross  the  river  with  precipitation  and  con- 
siderable loss. 

50 


394  HISTORY^ OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chap.  10 

British  retire  from  Plaitshurgh.  At  dusk  the  British  with- 
drew their  cannon  from  the  batteries  ;  at  nine,  sent  oif  all  the 
artillery  and  baggage  for  which  they  could  procure  transports ; 
and  at  two  the  following  morning,  the  whole  army  precipi- 
tately retreated,  leaving  their  sick  and  wounded  behind.  Great 
quantities  of  provisions,  tents,  entrenching  tools,  and  ammuni- 
tion, were  also  left.  Much  was  found  concealed  in  the  ponds  and 
creeks,  and  buried  in  the  ground.  Their  retreat  w^as  so  sud- 
den, rapid,  and  unexpected,  that  they  arrived  at  Chazy,  a  dis- 
tance of  eight  miles,  before  their  departure  was  known  to  the 
American  general.  The  light  troops  and  militia  were  im- 
mediately ordered  out  in  pursuit,  but  were  unable  to  make 
many  prisoners.  Upwards  of  three  hundred  deserters  came 
in  within  two  or  three  days  after  the  action,  who  confirmed 
the  account  of  Prevost's  precipitate  flight,  and  assisted  in  dis- 
covering the  property  they  had  concealed  and  left  behind^ 
The  American  loss  on  land,  during  the  day,  was  thirty-seven 
killed,  and  eighty-two  wounded  and  missing.  General  Ma- 
comb's official  report  estimates  the  British  loss  in  land  and 
naval  forces,  since  their  leaving  Montreal,  in  killed,  wounded, 
prisoners,  deserters,  and  missing,  at  twenty-five   hundred.^ 

The  British  army  engaged  in  this  expedition,  consisted  of 
the 

1st  Brigade  under  Major  General  Robinson,  -         3,700 

2d  under  General  Powers,  -         -         -         .         3,600 

3d  under  General  Brisbane^         _         .         .         _         3,100 

A  light  brigade,  consisting  of  a 

Swiss  regiment, 1,200 

Canadian  Chasseurs,  -         -         .         -  900 

Valtiguers, 55O 

Frontier  light  infantry,        -         -         -         -  150 

2,800 


*  Geocral  Macomb's  letter  to  secretary  at  wafr. 


iU4                HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  395 

4  troops  of  light  dragoons,      -----  300 

4  companies  of  royal  light  artillery,         -         -         -  400 

1  corps  of  rocketeers,            -         -         -         -         -  25 

and  a  corps  of  sappers  and  miners,          -        -        -  75 


14,000 

Major-General  Baynes, adjutant-general;  Sir  Sidney  Beck- 

with,  quarter-master-general  ;  the  whole  division  under  the 

immediate  command  of  Major-General  De  Rottenburgh,  and 

Sir  George  Prevost,  commander  in  chief. 

The  precipitate  retreat  of  so  numerous,  and  well  appointed 
an  army  from  before  a  force  of  fifteen  hundred  regulars,  and 
three  thousand  militia  suddenly  called  together,  was  un- 
accountable and  wholly  unexpected.  General  Prevost  en- 
deavours to  justify  himself  to  his  government,  by  imputing  ii 
to  the  loss  of  the  fleet.  But  no  active  co-operation  was  or 
could  be  expected  from  their  respective  fleets  by  either  army. 
The  real  ground  was,  that  the  valour  of  the  American  troops 
in  defence  of  their  soil  had  convinced  the  British  general  that 
an  attempt  to  penetrate  the  country,  and  carry  his  original 
plans  into  effect,  would  be  attended  with  defeat  and  disgrace. 
The  events  of  the  1 1  th  of  September,  put  an  end  to  further 
olfensive  operations  on  the  part  of  the  British,  on  the  Cham- 
plain  frontier.  Their  main  army  returned  to  Montreal,  and 
their  outposts  gave  very  little  further  disturbance  during  the 
residue  of  the  campaign.  These  events  relieved  the  surround- 
ing  country  from  the  most  alarming  apprehensions.  When 
they  saw  an  army  like  that  of  General  Prevost's  invading 
their  country,  and  General  Izard,  with  the  flower  of  the 
northern  army,  on  whom  their  hopes  rested,  leaving 
Plattsburgh  for  the  Niagara  frontier,  almost  at  the  same  mo- 
ment, they  considered  their  destiny  as  sealed.  But  instead  of 
desponding,  they  turned  out  at  the  call  of  their  government, 
nobly  and  successfully  defended  their  territory,  and  drove 
the  enemy  from  their  borders.  Their  joy  at  so  sudden  and 
unexpected  a  termination  of  their  apprehensions,  was  un- 


i$6  itt'ISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  1. 

l)Ouncled.  M^Donough,  Macomb,  and  the  brate  officers  aiiri 
soldiers  by  whose  skill  and  valour  their  deliverance  \va.-' 
achieved,  were  honoured  and  their  deeds  celebrated  with  the  j 
highest  applause.  The  principal  officers  were  rewarded  with  | 
promotions.  Macomb  was  immediately  brevetted  by  the 
President  with  the  grade  of  major-general,  and  M'Donou^h 
pFomoted  to  a  more  important  command  in  the  navy.  On 
the  14th,  General  Macomb,  having  ascertained  that  the  British 
tpftops  had  entirely  left  the  American  territory  and  were  with-  , 
drawing  to  Montreal,  discharged  the  New- York  and  Vermont  | 
militia  and  volunteers  with  high  encomiums  for  their  gallant 
and  active  services.  Prevost  retired  to  Quebec,  was  dis^ 
missed  from  his  command,  and  disgraced  by  the  government. 
General  Result  of  the  War  on  the  Canada  Border,  Active 
operations  on  the  Canada  border,  terminated  in  the  autumn 
of  1814.  The  war  undertaken  for  the  conquest  of  the  Cana-^ 
das,  ended  in  leaving  both  parties  nearly  in  the  same  situation 
as  it  found  them  at  its  commencement.  It  left  the  Americans 
in  possession  of  Maiden  and  the  adjacent  territory,  and  the 
British  of  Niagara.  Human  suffi?ring  by  the  conflagrations  of 
the  villages  of  Newark,  Dover,  and  St.  Davids,  was  more 
than  balanced  by  the  destruction  of  the  American  towns  on 
the  Niagara  frontier.  The  sum  of  human  slaughter  in  the 
various  battles  was  nearly  equal ;  the  balance  of  prisoners 
was  considerably  in  favour  of  the  British.  Estimating  one- 
third  of  the  war  expenditures  to  have  been  applied  to  this 
object,  it  cost  the  United  States  upwards  of  thirty  millions  of 
dollars.  This  sum,  according  to  an  estimate  of  the  secretary 
©f  the  navy,  assisted  by  experienced  ship-builders  and  naval 
officers,  of  the  cost  of  building,  equipping  and  manning  a 
seventy-four,  would  have  been  sufficient  to  have  built,  cquipr 
ped,  manned,  and  kept  in  service  one  year  sixty  ships  of  the 
line  of  that  size.  Had  one-fourth  of  this  sum  been  applied  to 
that  object,  and  a  considerable  portion  of  the  other  to  pro- 
curing smaller  fast  sailing  vessels  of  war,  to  operate  upon 
British  commerce ;  it  would  havfe  been   sufficient  to  have 


iU4.  HISTORY  or  THE  LATE  WAR.  397 

efFectually  guarded  the  coast,  swept  their  commerce  from  the 
ocean,  and  taught  them  to  respect  American  maritime  rights. 
The  events  of  the  Canada  war  have  developed  some  impor- 
tant principles  in  the  structure  of  the  American  government. 
It  was  early  perceived,  that  the  mihtia,  the  physical  force  of 
the  union,  were  not  bound  by  the  constitution,  nor  were  they 
to  be  depended  on  as  volunteers,  to  go  beyond  the  limits  of 
the  United  States,  for  the  purposes  of  conquest.  It  was  soon 
found  that  voluntary  enlistment  was  wholly  inadequate  to 
raise  an  army  sufficient  for  the  purposes  of  foreign  war  ^  and 
it  was  finally  demonstrated,  that,  although  the  power  of  de- 
claring war,  vested  in  congress  by  the  constitution,  might  imply 
a  power  of  raising  armies  by  conscription,  or  compulsory 
proceedings,  yet  such  a  measure  was  so  repugnant  to  the 
feelings  of  a  free  people,  that  resort  could  be  had  to  it,  only 
for  the  purposes  of  defence.  Singular  as  the  fact  may  appear, 
the  Americans,  with  a  naval  force,  not  equal  to  a  twentieth 
part  of  the  British,  were  able  to  capture  the  most  vessels, 
and  do  their  antagonists  the  most  harm  on  the  ocean  ;  while 
on  land  they  were  unable  to  conquer  a  single  British  province, 
not  the  twentieth  part  their  equal.  The  American  politician 
beheving  in  a  superior  agency,  reads  in  this  result,  the  lan- 
guage of  a  superintending  Providence,  commanding  the  United 
States  to  maintam  their  rights  with  energy,  and  abstain  from 
views  of  conquest. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


New-Orleans. — Proceedings  at  Pensacola. — Arrival  of  a  British  Naval 
Force  at  that  place. — Nicholl's  Address  to  the  Louisianians. — Negoti- 
ations with  the  Pirates  of  Barrataria. — Commodore  Patterson's  Expe- 
dition against  them. — Unsuccessful  Expedition  against  Mobile. — 
General  Jackson  enters  Pensacola  with  a  Military  Force  ;  expels  the 
British. — Armament  Sails  from  the  West  Indies  against  New-Orleans. 
— Nicholl's  Embassy  to  the  Choctaws. — General  Jackson's  Arrival ; 
proclaims  Martial  Law. — Measures  of  Defence. — Fort  St.  Philips 
garrisoned. — Arrival  of  the  British  Armament  at  Ship  Island. — Cap- 
ture of  the  American  Flotilla  on  Lake  Bergne. — Landing  of  the  Brit- 
ish at  Bayou  Bienvenu. — Battle  of  the  23d  of  December. — Of  the  1st 
of  January. — Decisive  Victory  of  the  8th. — Bombardment  of  Fort  St. 
Phillips.— Retreat  of  the  British.-— Capture  of  Fort  Boyer. 

The  defence  of  the  7th  miHtary  district,  comprehending  the 
states  of  Tennessee,  and  Louisiana,  and  the  Mississippi  terri- 
tory, was  intrusted  to  General  Jackson.  After  subduing  the 
Creeks,  and  granting  them  peace  on  such  terms  as  he  thought 
proper,  under  the  direction  of  the  President,  he  proceeded  to 
establish  strong  garrisons  at  the  various  military  posts  in  the 
Mississippi  territory,  the  object  of  which  was  to  watch  and 
check  any  hostile  movements  of  the  Indians. 

Conduct  of  the  Spanish  Authorities  at  Pensacola.  From  the 
commencement  of  Indian  hostihties  in  the  south,  the  Spanish 
authorities  in  Florida,  had  given  the  hostile  tribes  all  the  aid 
and  encouragement  in  their  power,  and  had  suffered  the  Brit- 
ish to  supply  them,  through  the  posts  and  territories  of  the 
Floridas,  with  the  means  of  carrying  on  their  warfare.  Af- 
ter the  defeat  of  the  Creeks,  McQueen,  and  Francis,  the  two 
principal  instigators  of  the  massacre  at  fort  Mimms,  and  the 
subsequent  war,  took  refuge  at  Pensacola,  under  the  protec- 
tion of  the  Spanish  governor.     A  considerable   quantity  of 


mi.  HISTORY  OF  THJK  LATE  WAR.  399 

arms  for  the  use  of  the  hostile  Indians,  which  were  collecting 
in  the  Floridas,  and  on  the  borders  of  the  United  States,  were 
sutfered  to  be  landed,  and  conveyed  up  the  Apalachicola 
river,  to  enable  them  to  renew  their  hostilities.  Against  thixS 
conduct  of  the  Spanish  government.  General  Jackson  urged 
the  most  strong  and  pointed  remonstrances  ;  but  received 
nothing  but  evasive  and  unsatisfactory  answers :  while  a  con- 
tinuance of  the  same  course  of  proceedings,  gave  abundant 
evidence  of  the  weakness  and  partiality  of  the  Spanish  au- 
thorities. 

Arrival  of  a  British  Armament,  On  the  25th  of  August, 
the  Hermes,  Orpheus,  and  Carvian,  three  British  ships  of  war, 
arrived  at  Pensacola,  and  landed  a  large  quantity  of  military 
stores  and  provisions,  and  three  hundred  troops,  which  were 
conducted  to  the  Spanish  fort.  This  armament  conducted  by 
Edward  Nicholl,  who  bore  a  Colonel's  commission  in  the 
British  service,  and  was  expressly  authorized  to  engage  the 
Florida  Indians  in  acts  of  hostility  against  the  United  States, 
was  destined  to  unite  with  them  for  these  objects. 

NichoWs  Address.  On  the  29th,  Nicholl  published  an  ad- 
dress to  the  native  inhabitants  of  Louisiana,  stating  that  he 
was  at  the  head  of  a  large  British  and  Indian  force,  and  calhng 
upon  them  to  assist  in  liberating  their  paternal  sail,  from  a 
faithless  and  corrupt  government,  declaring  that  the  American 
usurpation  must,  and  would  be  abolished  ;  and  that  in  such 
a  happy  event,  they  would  have  no  fear  of  taxes  imposed  to 
support  an  unnatural  and  unjust  war,  and  declaring  that  the 
brave  men  under  his  command,  burned  with  an  ardent  desire 
to  unite  with  the  patriotic  Louisianians,  to  liberate  the  south- 
ern frontier  from  the  American  yoke,  and  drive  the  Americans 
within  the  limits  prescribed  them  by  the  British  sovereign. 
This  proclamation  had  the  eifect  of  seducing  a  few  deluded, 
and  desperate  Louisanians  to  Nicholl- s  standard.  This  arma- 
ment was  supplied  with  provisions  at  Pensacola,  principally 
from  New-Orleans.  The  merchants  of  that  city,  who  had 
had  the  provisions  from  the  upper  country  for  a  considerable 


400  HISTORY  OF    THEXATE  WAR.  Chap  iy> 

time  on  hand,  eagerly  sought  this  market.  A  brisk  trade,  very 
hicrative  to  the  New-Orleans  merchant,  was  carried  on  be- 
tween that  city  and  Pensacola ;  by  means  of  which  the  Brit- 
ish became  possessed  of  accurate  information  respecting  its 
strength,  resources,  means  of  defence,  and  most  assailable 
points.  They  also  were  enabled  to  obtain  abundant  supplies 
from  the  city  itself,  for  the  army  and  navy  destined  for  its  de- 
struction. General  Jackson,  who,  when  an  important  object 
was  to  be  obtained,  never  doubted  his  constitutional  powers, 
immediately  arrested  this  intercourse  ;  and  prohibited  all 
commerce  between  the  two  places. 

Pirates  of  Barrataria.  NicholPs  next  effort  was  to  form 
a  treaty  between  the  British  government,  and  a  gang  of 
pirates  established  at  Barrataria,  and  several  other  small 
islands  near  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi.  On  these  islands, 
or  rather  sand-banks,  about  forty  miles  to  the  westward  of  the 
Bahze,  and  near  the  Louisiana  shore,  a  desperate  band  of 
pirates  had  seated  themselves,  and  under  the  Carthagenian 
Hag,  but  without  authority  or  countenance  from  any  govern- 
ment, were  committing  depredations  on  all  vessels  that  came 
within  their  reach.  They  had  been  suffered  to  continue  here 
for  about  two  yeaf s,  and  had  accumulated  a  force  of  fifteen  or 
twenty  small  vessels,  and  eight  hundred  men,  deserters  and 
fugitives  of  every  description,  and  of  all  nations  and  colours. 
Their  leader  was  a  renegado  Frenchman,  by  the  name  of  La- 
fitte  ;  they  had  fortified  themselves  w^ith  twenty  pieces  of  can- 
non, and  were  enriching  themselves  with  an  indiscriminate 
plunder  of  British,  Spanish,  French,  and  American  vessels. 
To  this  horde  of  pirates,  the  British  commandant  from  Pensa- 
cola, addressed  himself,  proposing  to  take  them  into  service, 
promising  to  their  chief  the  rank  and  pay  of  captain,  and  to 
his  followers,  lands  in  the  conquered  colonies  in  proportion  to 
their  rank  and  meritorious  services. 

With  this  address,  Commodore  Piercy,  commandant  of  the 
British  squadron  at  Pensacola,  despatched  captain  Locker 
in  the  Sophia  to  Barrataria,  demanding  of  Lafitte  the  restitu- 


1814.  itlSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  401 

tioii  of  British  vessels  and  property  in  his  possession,  and 
threatening  destruction  to  his  establishment,  in  case  of  re- 
tbsal  ;  at  the  same  time  proposing  to  him  to  unite  with  them 
in  the  war  against  the  United  States,  and  promising  to  him 
and  his  followers  security  to  their  establishment,  the  blessings 
of  the  British  constitution,  and  lands  to  their  satisfaction  at 
the  conclusion  of  the  war  :  In  return  for  these  advantages, 
their  armed  vessels  and  crews  were  to  be  taken  into  the  Brit- 
ish service,  and  for  which  they  were  to  be  remunerated. 
They  were  also  required  to  cease  all  hostihties  against  the 
Spaniards,  and  restore  all  Spanish  property  in  their  pos- 
session. The  pirates  rejected  these  terms,  and  the  British 
failed  of  obtaining  the  aid  of  these  allies.  While  these  nego- 
tiations were  going  on  between  the  Barratarians  and  the  Brit- 
ish, the  American  government  took  a  different,  and  more 
effectual  course  with  the  pirates.  On  the  11th  of  September, 
Commodore  Patterson,  commandant  of  the  American  squad- 
ron at  New-Orleans,  sailed  out  of  the  Mississippi  at  the  south- 
west passage,  and  on  the  16th,  appeared  before  Barrataria 
with  six  gunboats,  a  launch,  a  tender  and  the  schooner 
Caroline.  At  nine  o'clock,  A.  M.  the  pirates  were  seen 
Ibrming  their  vessels,  ten  in  number,  in  line  of  battle  near  the 
entrance  of  their  harbour.  Commodore  Patterson  having 
learned  that  there  was  a  considerable  number  of  deserters 
among  the  pirates  from  the  American  army  and  navy,  who 
were  desirous  of  returning  to  their  duty,  if  they  could  be  as- 
sured of  a  pardon,  hoisted  a  large  white  flag  at  the  mainmast, 
bearing  the  words,  PARDON  TO  DESERTERS,  in  capitals. 
At  half  past  eleven,  the  commodore  entered  the  harbour  after 
grounding  several  times,  and  drew  up  near  the  pirates,  when 
he  perceived  that  they  had  abandoned  their  vessels,  set  fire 
to  two  of  their  best  schoofiei's,  and  were  flyiug  in  every  direc- 
tion. He  immediately  took  possession  of  their  navy,  consist- 
ing of  six  schooners,  one  felucca,  one  brig,  and  two  other 
armed  schooners  under  the  Carthagenian  flag  ;  comprising 
all  the  cruisers  and  prizes  of  the  pirates  then  in  port.     At  the 

51 


402  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK  Chap.  19. 

same  time,  Colonel  Ross,  with  a  detachment  of  seventy  men 
of  the  44th  regiment,  who  accompanied  Commodore  Patter- 
son, landed,  and  took  possession  of  and  destroyed  their  estab- 
lishment on  shore,  consisting  of  about  forty  houses  of  differ- 
ent sizes,  badly  constructed,  and  thatched  with  Palmetto 
leaves.  On  the  20th,  Commodore  Patterson  captured  another 
vessel  coming  into  the  harbour,  bearing  the  Carthagenian 
flag,  and  belonging  to  the  pirates.  On  the  23d,  the  whole 
squadron  now  consisting  of  seventeen  sail,  got  under  weigh. 
entered  the  south-west  passage  on  the  24th,  and  on  the  1st  of 
October  arrived  at  New-Orleans  without  the  los&  of  a  man. 
This  expedition  entirely  annihilated  this  piratical  establish- 
ment. The  gang  dispersed  themselves  in  various  directions 
many  who  had  deserted  from  the  American  army  and  navy 
returned  to  New-Orleans,  received  the  President's  pardon, 
and  distinguished  themselves  in  the  defence  of  that  city. 

Expedition  against  fort  Boyer,  The  next  object  of  th( 
British  land  and  naval  forces  at  Pensacola,  was  fort  Boyer. 
on  Mobile  pomt,  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay.  This  fort  was 
erected  by  the  Americans  after  they  had  taken  possession 
of  the  town  and  territory  of  Mobile,  in  the  year  1812,  to  pro- 
tect the  navigation  of  the  bay  and  river.  It  is  situated  on  a 
bluff  point,  which  commands  the  main  entrance,  opposite 
Dauphinc  Island,  at  the  mouth  of  the  bay;  and  was  garrison- 
ed by  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  men,  under  the  command 
of  Major  Lawrence.  At  noon,  on  the  15th  of  September,  the 
British  squadron  from  Pensacola,  under  Commodore  Piercy, 
appeared  before  the  fort,  and  commenced  an  attack  :  the 
action  continued  without  intermission  until  seven,  when  one 
of  the  ships,  and  two  brigs  were  driven  off.  The  commodore's 
ship  Hermes,  mounting  twenty-two  thirty-two  pounders,  an- 
chored nearest  the  battery..  Her  cable  was  cut  by  a  shot 
from  the  fort,  and  being  otherwise  much  damaged,  she  drifted 
on  shore,  was  set  fire  to  and  abandoned  by  her  crew,  and 
blew  up.  The  forces  under  Captain  Woodbine,  consisting  of 
one  hundred  marines,  and  two  hundred  Creek  Indians,  land- 


1817.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  403 

ed  and  erected  a  battery  in  the  rear  of  the  fort.  This  was 
silenced,  and  the  troops  dispersed  by  a  few  grape-shot.  The 
whole  armament  the  next  day  left  the  ground  and  returned  to 
Pensacola. 

This  establishment  of  the  British  in  the  Floridas,  so  con- 
venient for  them  to  supply  the  Indians,  and  encourage  their 
hostilities,  and  so  injurious  to  the  United  States,  General 
Jackson  determined  on  his  own  responsibility  to  break  up. 
The  Spanish  authorities  claimed  that  national  law  regards 
neutral  territory  as  inviolable,  admits  no  hostile  acts  between 
the  belligerents,  nor  permits  either  to  pursue  or  attack  the 
other  thereon.  The  same  principles  allow  the  neutral  to 
open  his  ports  and  harbours  equally  to  both  belligerents. 
While  therefore  Spain  did  not  refuse  the  same  accommodation 
to  the  Americans,  she  could  not  be  accused  of  a  breach  of 
neutrality  in  permitting  the  British  to  rendezvous  at  Pensaco- 
la, however  injurious  it  might  be  to  the  interests  of  the  United 
States.  To  this  it  was  answered  that  as  sh-^  had  not  caused 
her  rights  as, a  neutral  to  be  respected  by  the  British  in  the 
case  of  the  Essex  at  Valparaiso,  but  had  suffered  them  to  be 
grossly  violated,  to  the  injury  of  the  Americans ;  she  could  not 
now  complain  if  they  availed  themselves  of  the  same  pri- 
vilege of  attacking  their  enemy  while  on  her  territory.  What 
course  it  might  be  expedient  to  pursue  in  relation  to  this  sub- 
ject was  a  question,  exclusively  for  the  American  government 
to  determine. 

Pensacola  taken  by  General  Jackson.  Without  waiting  how- 
ever for  this  determination,  General  Jackson,  on  the  6th  of 
November,  appeared  before  the  town  of  Pensacola  with  the 
regulars  of  the  3d,  39th,  and  44th  regiments  of  infantry,  part 
of  General  Coffee's  brigade,  the  Mississippi  dragoons,  part  of 
the  west  Tenessec  regiment,  and  the  Choctaws  under  Major 
Blue.  On  his  approach,  he  sent  Major  Pierce  with  a  flag,  to 
communicate  the  object  of  his  visit  to  the  governor.  As  the 
flag  approached  fort  St.  George,  then  occupied  by  British 
and  Spanish  troops,  it  was  fired  upon  and  compelled  to  re? 


404  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chap.  J 9, 

turn.  The  Americans  encamped  on  the  west  of  the  town, 
and  in  order  to  induce  a  behef  that  the  attack  would  com- 
mence on  that  quarter,  the  mounted  men  were  paraded  and 
sent  out  on  the  morning  of  the  7th.  While  the  attention  of  the 
British  was  directed  to  them,  the  main  body  passed  in  rear 
of  the  fort  to  the  east  side  of  the  town,  where  they  appeared 
in  full  view,  at'a  mile's  distance.  In  this  position  there  was  a 
stron.^  fort  in  possession  of  the  British  ready  to  assail  them  on 
the  right,  seven  armed  ships  on  the  left,  and  strong  block- 
houses and  batteries  in  front.  General  Jackson  led  on  his 
men^  with  firmness,  and  entered  the  tov^^n,  when  a  battery 
opened  upon  his  centre  column  composed  of  the  regulars, 
with  ball  and  grape,  while  at  the  same  time  they  were  assailed 
by  a  shower  of  musketry  from  the  houses  and  gardens.  Cap- 
tain Leval  with  his  company,  immediately  stormed  and  took 
the  battery,  while  the  enemy's  musketry  w^ere  silenced  by  a 
steady  and  well  directed  fire  of  the  regulars.  The  governor 
now  came  out,  and  met  Colonels  Williamson  and  Smith,  who 
led  the  dismounted  volunteers,  with  a  flag,  and  surrendered  the 
tow^n  and  fort  unconditionally.  The  fort  was  taken  posses- 
sion of  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night ;  and  protection  granted  to 
the  persons  and  property  of  the  citizens  of  the  town.  On  the 
jHorning  of  the  8th,  General  Jackson  was  pre])aring  to  storm 
the  Barancas,  a  fortress  six  miles  from  the  town,  which  com- 
manded the  entrance  of  the  harbour,  and  in  the  hands  of  the 
Americans  could  have  enabled  them  to  prevent  the  escape  of 
the  British  ships,  when  a  tremendous  explosion  gave  notice 
that  the  fortress  with  its  a})pendages  w^as  blown  up.  To  save 
the  shipping,  the  British  had  compelled  the  Spaniards  to  con- 
sent to  the  destruction  of  this  post,  the  most  important  in  the 
Floridas.  A  detachment  of  two  hundred  men  were  sent  tn 
examine  the  ruins,  who  reported  that  every  thing  combustible 
was  burned,  the  cannon  spiked  and  dismounted  and  the  Bri-^ 
tish  gone  to  their  ships.  At  the  approach  of  General  Jack- 
son, the  hostile  Indians  fled  across  the  bay.  The  American 
general,  having  assured  thf*  Spaniards  (hat  any  injury  done  to 


Itil4.  HISTORY  OF  THE  I. ATE  WAR.  40;> 

private  properly  should  be  compensated  by  the  American 
•government,  withdrew  his  troops  from  the  Spanish  territory, 
and  returned  to  Tensaw  on  the  13th  of  November,  leaving  a 
strong  impression  of  the  bravery  and  firmness  of  the  American 
troops.  ;  ji  lo  ,1  yum  '  -•.  .  .■  a'.'^\  > 

The  success  of  this  enterprise,  and  its  beneficial  effects  to 
the  United  States,  precluded  all  inquiry  into  the  real  charac- 
ter of  the  transaction.  It  was  in  effect  making  war  upon  Spain, 
by  an  American  general,  without  the  authority  of  Congress, 
or  the  executive.  Under  other  circumstances,  it  might  have 
involved  the  country  in  war  with  that  nation,  or  the  govern- 
ment must  have  disavowed  the  transaction,  dismissed  the  gen- 
eral, and  made  restitution.  But  Spain  w^as  at  this  time  in  no 
condition  to  resist  either  British  or  American  aggressions. 

Mew-Orleans,  Towards  the  close  of  the  year  1814,  the 
attention  of  the  British  and  Americans,  was  drawn  from  all 
minor  opperations  of  the  war,  to  the  attack  and  defence  of 
New-Orleans.  This  city  is  situated  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
Mississippi,  one  hundred  miles  from  its  mouth.  Forty  miles 
up  the  river,  is  Detour  Plaguemine,  where  there  is  a  consider- 
able bend  in  the  river,  so  that  the  same  wind  which  brings  a 
ship  into  this  bend,  will  not  serve  to  carry  it  further  up.  Fort 
St.  Phillips,  is  erected  on  a  point  of  land  formed  by  this 
bend,  and  commands  the  passage.  A  ship  of  war  entering 
it  must  lie  to,  within  reach  of  the  guns  of  this  fort,  until  a 
change  of  wind  enables  her  to  proceed  up  the  river  ;  by  rea- 
son of  marshes,  the  fort  is  inaccessible  by  land.  This  posi- 
tion is  the  principal  defence  of  the  city  from  an  attack  by  sea. 
Forty  miles  above  this,  j^  the  Detour  PAnglois,  or  English 
town,  situate  in  a  similar  form,  but  not  fortified.  From  this 
to  the  city  is  a  high  embankment,  or  dyke,  on  the  margin  of  the 
river,  to  prevent  its  overflowing  the  adjacent  country  :  the 
i^surface  of  this  embankment,  forms  a  convenient  road.  One 
hundred  miles  above  the  city,  is  an  outlet  from  the  river  on  its 
east  bank,  which  is  denominated  the  river  Iberville,  and  com- 
municates with  lake  Pontchartrain,  througjh  lake  Maurepas. 


40iS  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  lU. 

Lake  Pontchartrain,  by  a  narrow  pass,  communicates  with 
lake  Borgne,  and  this  with  the  gulf  of  Mexico.  The  land  en- 
circled by  these  waters,  forms  the  Island  of  Orleans,  and  is 
low,  level,  and  swampy,  intersected  with  numerous  bayous  or 
creeks,  and  much  of  it  lower  than  the  surface  of  the  river. 
The  outlet  from  lake  Pontchartrain  to  lake  Borgne,  is  about 
four  miles  in  length.  For  the  defence  of  this  passage,  a  small 
fortress  had  been  erected,  called  Petit  Coquille.  General 
Wilkinson,  while  he  commanded  at  New-Orleans,  having  been 
directed  to  present  a  plan  for  the  defence  of  the  city;  and  con- 
sidering that  the  probable  course  which  an  enemy  designing 
an  attack,  would  take,  must  be  through  this  passage,  and  up 
the  Bayou  St.  John,  w^hich  would  bring  them  directly  before 
the  city,  advised  that  the  fortification  at  the  Petit  Coquille,  be 
enlarged  and  provided  with  sixty  pieces  of  heavy  ordnance, 
and  an  adequate  garrison.  His  plan  was  never  adopted  ;  but 
the  enemy  having  obtained  possession  of  it,  and  believing  it 
to  have  been  executed,  were  deterred  from  making  their  at- 
tack at  that  point.  At  the  entrance  of  lake  Borgne  into  the 
gulf  of  Mexico,  are  a  number  of  small  inlands,  the  principal  of 
which  is  Ship  or  Pine  Island,  where  there  is  a  harbour.  At 
this  place,  and  at  every  entrance  into  the  lake  from  the  gulf, 
the  water  is  shoal,  and  will  not  admit  of  sea  vessels. 

The  city  of  New-Orleans  is  the  natural,  and  only  conven- 
ient place  of  deposite  on  the  Mississippi,  which  furnishes  an 
oudet  for  one  half  the  territory  of  the  United  States,  contain- 
ing oue  quarter  of  its  population.  The  productions  of  the 
country  above,  are  transported  in  rafts,  boats,  and  various 
river  craft,  to  this  city,  whence  they  are  shipped  in  sea  ves- 
sels to  distant  markets.  Its  situation  rendered  it  the  most  im- 
portant point  of  attack  which  the  United  States  presented. 
At  this  period,  vast  quantities  of  sugar,  cotton,  tobacco,  and 
other  productions  were  accumulated  here,  which  the  war  had 
prevented  from  being  exported,  and  now  promised  a  rich  har- 
vest of  plunder.  These  circumstances  rendered  this  city  an 
important  object  to  the  British  government,  either  as  a  per- 


l«14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATK  WAK.  4U7 

manent  conquest,  or  a  subject  of  negotiation.  The  same  cir- 
cumstances rendered  its  defence,  at  all  hazards,  an  imperious 
duty  on  the  part  of  the  United  States. 

Preparation  for  the  Attack,  After  the  British  fleet  left  the 
Chesapeake,  they  repaired  to  Jamaica  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
cruiting, obtaining  supplies,  and  concentrating  their  forces* 
At  this  place,  and  at  Bermuda,  the  whole  British  force,  which 
could  De  spared  from  the  Atlantic  coast,  from  Halifax  to 
Georgia,  rendezvoused  in  the  month  of  November  for  the 
New-Orleans  expedition  :  large  reinforcements  were  also 
ordered  from  England,  under  General  Packenham,  furnished 
not  only  with  the  means  of  war,  but  also  wnth  printing-presseS; 
custom-house  and  civil  officers  ;  and  every  thing  incident  to 
a  permanent  establishment.  On  the  20th  of  November,  this 
formidable  armament,  consisting  of  upwards  of  sixty  sail. 
1  eft  the  West  Indies  for  the  gulf  of  Mexico ;  and  on  the  18th 
of  December  rendezvoused  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Ship 
Island,  at  the  entrance  of  lake  Borgne. 

Embassy  to  the  Choctaws.  Colonel  NichoU  had  represent- 
ed to  the  British  commander,  that  he  could  obtain  powerful 
aid  from  the  lower  Choctaws  on  the  Apalachicola.  For  this 
purpose  he  was  despatched  at  the  head  of  an  embassy  to 
engage  their  assistance.  They  arrived  on  the  4th  at  the  prin- 
cipal Indian  village,  consisting  of  about  forty  huts,  composed 
of  reeds  and  branches  of  treesy  erected  in  the  heart  of  a  wood 
a  small  distance  from  the  shore.  The  men  sat  in  the  doors  of 
the  huts  in  a  state  of  indolence,  their  elbows  resting  on  their 
knees,  and  their  chins  on  their  hands,  in  perfect  silence,  each 
one  appearing  absorbed  in  his  own  contemplations.  The 
women  were  engaged  in  carrying  water,  splitting  wood,  light- 
ing fires,  and  co^^king  provisions,  while  numerous  children 
were  playing  and  quarrelling  round  the  huts.  On  the  approach 
of  the  embassy,  the  chief,  an  elderly  and  infirm  man,  and  the 
principal  warrior,  a  man  of  about  forty,  of  a  fierce  and  savage 
countenance,  rose  up  and  came  out  to  meet  them.     They 


408  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chai'.  VJ. 

were  dressed  in  buffalo  hides,  with  a  loose  scarf  of  collon 
thrown  over  one  shoulder,  and  wrapped  round  ihcir  loins  : 
the  chief  had  two  broad  pieces  of  gold  suspended  from  his 
ears,  and  bracelets  of  the  same  metal  round  his  wrists  ;  the 
warrior's  ears  were  ornamented  with  silver  rings,  and  a  whole 
Spanish  dollar  suspended  from  his  nose.  Colonel  NichoU 
was  well  acquainted  with  these  men,  and  introduced  the  other 
members  of  the  embassy  :  the  Indians  extended  the  hand  of 
friendship  to  them,  and  conducted  them  to  the  largest  hut  in 
the  town.  By  this  time  the  other  warriors  were  roused  from 
their  lethargy  and  crowded  about  them,  so  that  in  a  few 
minutes  they  were  surrounded  with  upwards  of  a  hundred 
savages,  holding  in  their  hands  their  uplifted  tomahawks,  and 
their  scalping  knives  suspended  from  a  belt  fastened  round 
their  middle.  Having  made  known  their  business,  the  em- 
bassy were  informed  that  nothing  could  be  done  until  after 
the  feast.  English  and  Indians  were  then  all  seated  on  the 
grass,  and  the  provisions  consisting  of  buffalo  flesh,  just  warm- 
ed and  swimming  in  blood,  with  cakes  of  Indian  corn,  were 
brought  in  the  hands  of  Indian  women,  and  laid  on  the 
turf;  the  warriors  drawing  their  scalping  knives  from  their 
belts,  cut  off  slices,  and  holding  the  flesh  in  one  han  d  and  the 
cake  in  the  other,  devoured  their  repast.  Out  of  respect  to 
iheir  guests,  the  Indian  women  had  prepared  a  minced  dislk 
which  was  laid  u})on  dried  buflalo  hides  ;  ,of  this  also  the 
Indians  ate  heartily,  dipping  in  their  hands,  and  in  this 
manner  conveying  the  food  to  their  mouths.  When  the  rem- 
nants were  removed,  and  the  women  were  making  tlreir  scanty 
meal  of  the  crumbs,  a  supply  of  rum  which  the  English  fur- 
nished was  produced  ;  after  liberal  potations,  the  taciturnity 
which  the  Indians  had  hitherto  observed,  gave  way  ;  and  all 
speaking  together,  each  endeavoured  to  drown  the  voices  of 
his  companions  by  elevating  his  own,  until  it  ended  in  a  con- 
tinued shout.  Springing  from  the  ground  Avhere  they  had 
)iitherto\continued  sitting  cross  legged,  their  activity  and  mc- 


m4.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  409 

nacing  gestures  threatened  blood-shed.  The  result  of  the 
conference  was  that  no  assistance  could  be  afforded  the  Eng- 
lish. General  Jackson's  name  was  a  terror  to  the  Indians  of 
the  south :  and  these  poor  Choctaws  learning  that  if  they 
joined  the  English,  they  would  have  to  meet  him  again  before 
New-Orleans,  refused  their  aid.  Ci  lonel  NichoU  was 
obliged  to  return  to  the  fleet  with  only  two  Indians  whom  he 
persuaded  to  accompany  him. 

Defence  of  New-Orleans^  General  Jackson,  with  the  reg- 
ular troops  from  the  Mobile  and  Mississippi  territory,  arrived 
at  New-Orleans  on  the  2d  of  December,  and  put  in  operation 
the  most  rigorous  measures  of  defence.  The  militia  of  Lou- 
isiana and  Mississippi  were  ordered  out  en  masse,  and  large 
detachments  from  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  From  a  pre- 
vious correspondence  with  Governor  Claiborne,  General 
Jackson  had  been  informed  that  the  city  corps  had  for  the 
most  part,  refused  obedience  to  the  orders  which  he  had  given 
to  turn  out  on  the  requisition  of  General  Flournoy  ;  that  they 
had  been  encouraged  in  their  disobedience  by  the  legislature 
of  the  State,  who  were  then  in  session  in  the  city ; 
that,  although  there  were  many  faithful  citizens  in  New^ 
Orleans,  there  were  many  others,  whose  attachment  to  the 
United  States  could  not  be  confided  in  ;  and  should  the  city  be 
attacked,  they  must  principally  depend  upon  the  regular 
troops,  and  the  militia  of  the  western  states  for  defence.' 
Many  of  the  citizens,  the  governor  observes,  are  devoted  to 
the  interests  of  Spain  ;  and  whose  hostility  to  the  English  is 
no  less  observable  than  their  dislike  to  the  American  gov- 
ernment. Native  Americans,  native  Louisianians,  French- 
men, Spaniards,  and  English  compose  the  population ;  among 
them  there  exists  much  jealousy,  and  as  great  a  difference  in 
political  sentiment  as  in  their  language  and  habits. 

In  addition  to  this  communication,  on  the  8th  of  September, 
the  governor  writes,  "  There  is  great  reason  to  fear  a  much 
greater  disaffection  that  I  had  anticipated.     The  garrison 

52 


410  mSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap  19- 

here  is  alarmingly  weak,  and  from  the  great  mixture  of  per- 
sons and  character  in  this  city,  we  have  much  to  apprehend, 
from  within  as  well  as  w^ithout.  In  arresting  the  intercourse 
between  New-Orleans  and  Pensaeola,  you  have  done  right. 
That  place  is  in  fact  an  enemy's  post ;  and  had  our  commer- 
cial intercourse  continued,  the  supplies  furnished  the  enemy 
would  have  so  much  exhausted  our  own  stock  of  provisions, 
as  to  have  occasioned  the  most  serious  inconvenience  to  our- 
selves. I  was  on  the  point  of  taking  on  myself  the  prohibition 
of  the  trade  to  Pensaeola,  and  should  have  issued  a  pro- 
clamation for  that  purpose,  the  very  day  I  heard  of  your  inter- 
position. Enemies  to  the  country  may  blame  you  for  the 
very  prompt  and  energetic  measures  you  have  taken  ;  but  in 
the  person  of  every  patriot  you  will  find  a  supporter.  I  am 
aware  of  the  lax  police  of  the  city,  and  indeed  throughout  the 
state,  with  respect  to  the  visits  of  strangers.  I  think  with  you 
that  our  country  is  filled  with  spies  and  traitors." 

Martial  Law  proclaimed.  On  his  arrival  in  the  city,  General 
Jackson  found  these  sentiments  of  the  governor  fully  justified: 
and  on  consultation  with  him,  in  conjunction  with  Judge  Hall, 
and  many  influential  persons  of  the  city,  on  the  16th  of  De- 
cember, issued  an  order,  declaring  the  city  and  environs  of 
New-Orleans  to  be  under  strict  martial  law.  Every  individ- 
ual entering  the  city  was  required  to  report  himself  to  the 
adjutant-general,  and  no  person  by  land  or  water  was  suffer- 
ed to  leave  the  city  without  a  passport.  The  street  lamps 
•were  ordered  to  be  extinguished  at  nine  o'clock  ;  after  which 
any  persons  found  in  the  streets,  or  from  their  homes  without 
permission  in  writing,  and  not  having  the  countersign,  were 
ordered  to  be  apprehended  as  spies.*  This  measure  at  once 
converted  the  whole  city  into  a  camp,  and  subjected  the  per- 
sons and  property  of  the  citizens  to  the  will  of  the  command- 


General  Jackson's  order  of  the  16th  of  December,  1814. 


1B14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  4II 

ing  general.  Writs  of  habeas  corpus,  and  all  other  civil 
process  by  means  of  which  the  lives  and  properties  of  the 
people  are  protected,  were  for  the  time  suspended.  Such  was 
the  alarm  and  confusion  of  the  moment,  that  few  inquiries 
were  made  whence  the  commanding  general  of  a  military 
station  derived  such  powers,  to  be  exercised  over  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  adjacent  country,  in  nowise  connected  with  his 
camp.  Although  the  brilliant  success  which  afterwards  at- 
tended the  operations  of  General  Jackson  seemed  to  justify 
the  measure  ;  yet  the  people  saw  in  it  a  precedent,  which 
though  it  might  have  saved  New-Orleans,  might  at  some 
future  period  extinguish  their  liberties.  A  most  rigid  police 
was  now  instituted.  Spies  and  traitors,  with  which  the  gover- 
nor complained  the  city  abounded,  and  who  had  been  indus- 
triously employed  in  seducing  the  French  and  Spanish  inhab- 
itants from  their  allegiance,  now  fled  ;  and  the  remaining  cit- 
izens cordially  co-operated  with  the  general  in  the  means  of 
defence.  Fort  St.  Philips  which  guarded  the  passage  of  the 
river  at  the  Detour  la  Plaquemine,  was  strengthened  and 
placed  under  the  command  of  Major  Overton,  an  able  and 
skilful  engineer.  A  site  was  selected  for  works  of  defence, 
four  miles  below  the  city,  where  its  destinies  were  ultimately 
to  be  determined.  The  right  rested  on  the  river,  and  the  left 
was  flanked  by  an  impenetrable  cypress  swamp,  which  ex- 
tended eastward  to  lake  Pontchartrain,  and  westward  to  within 
a  mile  of  the  river.  Between  the  swamp  and  the  river  was  a 
large  ditch  or  artificial  bayou  which  had  been  made  for  agri- 
cultural objects,  but  which  now  served  an  important  military 
purpose.  On  the  northern  bank  of  this  ditch,  the  entrench- 
ments were  thrown  up,  and  large  quantities  of  cotton  bales  so 
arranged,  as  that  the  troops  could  be  eflfectually  protected 
from  the  enemy''s  fire.  Each  flank  was  secured  by  an  ad- 
vance bastion  ;  and  the  latter  protected  by  batteries  in  the 
rear.  These  works  were  well  mounted  with  artillery.  Op- 
posite this  position,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  on  a  rising 
ground;  General  Morgan,  with  the  city  and  drafted  militia,  was 


412  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  W 

Stationed  ;  and  Commodore  Patterson,  with  the  crews  of  the 
Caroline  and  Louisiana,  and  the  gnns  of  the  latter,  formed  an- 
other, near  General  Morgan's  ;  both  which  entirely  enfiladed 
the  approach  of  an  enemy  against  the  principal  uorks.  A 
detachment  was  stationed  above  the  town  to  guard  the  pass 
of  the  Bayou  St.  John,  if  an  attempt  should  be  made  from  that 
quarter.  These  arrangements,  promptly  and  judiciously 
made,  gave  entire  confidence  to  the  citizens,  and  inspired 
them  with  zeal  to  second  the  general's  exertions.  Reinforce- 
ments were  daily  arriving,  and  as  they  arrived,  were  immedi- 
ately conducted  to  their  respective  stations. 

Landing  of  the  British.  In  the  meantime,  the  British  were 
actively  employed  in  making  preparations  for  the  attack  ;  be- 
lieving the  pass  from  lake  Borgne  to  lake  Pontchartrain,  to 
"be  defended  according  to  General  Wilkinson's  plan  by  the 
fortress  of  Petit  Coquille,  they  determined  to  land  from  lake 
Borgne,  by  the  bayou  Bienvenue.  For  this  purpose  they 
concentrated  their  forces  on  Ship  island,  eighty  miles  distant 
from  the  contemplated  place  of  landing.  The  depth  of  water 
in  lake  Borgne,  was  such  that  this  distance  could  be  traversed 
only  by  boats  and  small  craft,  and  must  necessarily  be  passed 
several  times  in  order  to  bring  up  the  whole  armament.  The 
first  object  of  the  British  general,  was  to  clear  the  lake  of  the 
American  gun-boats  ;  and  for  this  purpose,  forty  British 
launches  were  sent  in  pursuit  of  them,  and,  after  a  desperate 
resistance,  captured  and  destroyed  the  whole  American  flotilla, 
stationed  on  lake  Borgne  and  Pontchartrain,  for  the  defence 
of  New-Orleans,  consisting  of  five  gun-boats,  and  a  small 
sloop  and  schooner.  By  this  success,  they  obtained  the  un- 
disturbed possession  of  the  lake  ;  and  on  the  22d  of  Decem- 
ber, proceeded  from  their  rendezvous  on  Ship  island,  with  all 
their  boats  and  small  craft  capable  of  navigating  the  lake,  to 
the  bayou  Bienvenue  ;  and  having  surprised  and  captured  the 
Videttes  at  the  mouth  of  bayou,  the  first  division  accom- 
plished their  landing  unobserved.  Major  General  Villiere, 
of  the  New-Orleans  militia,  livine^  on  the  bayou,  to  whom  the 


i814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAil.  41:^^ 

important  service  of  making  the  tirst  attack,  and  giving  notice 
of  the  enemy's  approach  was  intrusted,  found  them  on  his 
plantation,  nine  miles  below  the  city,  without  any  previous 
knowledge  of  their  approach. 

Skirmishes  of  the  23d.  Notice  was  immediately  given  to  Gen- 
eral Jackson,  who  came  out  and  attacked  them  on  the  evening 
of  the  23d.  In  this  affair,  the  British  sustained  a  loss,  in  killed, 
wounded,  and  missing,  of  five  hundred.  The  British  entrench- 
ed themselves  at  the  Bienvenue  plantation,  four  miles  from 
the  American  camp,  making  the  plantation  house  in  the  rear 
of  their  works,  their  head-quarters.  General  Jackson  estab- 
lished his  head-quarters,  at  M'Carty's  plantation,  on  the  bank 
of  the  river,  and  in  full  view  of  the  British  encampment.  Two 
armed  schooners,  the  Caroline  and  Louisiana,  constituting  all 
the  American  naval  force  on  the  river,  dropped  down  from  the 
city,  anchored  opposite  the  British  encampment,  and  opened 
a  brisk  fire  upon  their  lines  with  considerable  effect.  On  the 
27th,  the  Caroline,  Captain  Henley,  got  becalmed  within  reach 
of  the  British  batteries,  and  was  set  fire  to,  and  destroyed  by 
their  hot  shot  :  the  other  succeeded  in  getting  out  of  their 
reach.  On  the  28th,  the  British  advanced  within  half  a  mile 
of  the  American  lines,  and  opened  a  fire  of  shells  and  rockets  ; 
but  were  driven  back  by  the  artillery  with  considerable  loss. 
On  the  night  of  the  31st  of  December,  the  enemy  again  ad- 
vanced within  six  hundred  yards  of  General  Jackson's  posi- 
tion, and  erected  three  batteries,  mounting  fifteen  guns,  and 
at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  opened  a  heavy  fire.  In  the 
course  of  the  day,  under  cover  of  these  batteries,  three  unsuc- 
cessful attempts  were  made  to  storm  the  American  works. 
By  four  in  the  afternoon,  all  their  batteries  were  silenced,  and 
in  the  following  night,  they  returned  to  their  former  position. 
On  the  4th  of  January,  General  Adair  arrived,  with  four  thou- 
sand Kentucky  militia,  principally  without  arms.  The 
muskets,  and  munitions  of  war  destined  for  the  supply  of  this 
corps,  were  provided  at  Pittsburgh,  and  did  not  leav«  that 
place  until  the  25th  of  December  :  passed  Louisville  the  6th 


414  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap,  ly* 

of  January,  and  arrived  at  New-Orleans,  several  days  after 
the  battle  of  the  8th.  On  the  6th,  the  last  reinforcement  of 
three  thousand  men  arrived  from  England,  under  Major  Gen- 
eral Lambert.  Before  the  final  assault  on  the  American  Unes, 
fhe  British  general  deemed  it  necessary  to  dislodge  General 
Morgan  and  Commodore  Patterson,  from  their  positions  on 
the  right  bank.  These  posts  so  effectually  enfiladed  the  ap- 
proach to  General  Jackson's  works,  that  the  army  advancing 
to  the  assault,  must  be  exposed  to  the  most  imminent  hazard* 
To  accomplish  this  object,  boats  were  to  be  transported  across 
the  island  from  lake  Borgne  to  the  Mississippi  ;  for  this  pur- 
pose the  British  had  been  laboriously  employed  in  deepening 
and  widening  the  canal  or  bayou  Bienvenue,  on  which  they 
first  disembarked.  On  the  7th,  they  succeeded  in  opening 
the  embankment  on  the  river,  and  completing  a  communica- 
tion from  the  lake  to  the  Mississippi.  In  pushing  the  boats 
through,  it  was  found  at  some  places,  that  the  canal  was  not 
of  sufficient  width,  and  at  others  the  banks  fell  in  and  choked 
the  passage  which  necessarily  occasioned  great  delay,  and 
increase  of  labour.  At  length,  however,  they  succeeded  in 
hauling  through  a  sufficient  number  to  transport  five  hundred 
troops  to  the  right  bank.  At  dawn  of  day  on  the  8th,  was 
the  period  fixed  for  the  final  assault  on  the  American  lines. 
Colonel  Thornton,  w^as  detached  with  five  hundred  men,  to 
cross  the  river,  and  attack  the  batteries  on  that  side,  at  the 
same  time  that  the  main  assault  was  to  be  made,  of  which  he 
was  to  be  informed  by  a  signal  rocket.  The  American  general 
had  detached  Colonel  Davis,  with  three  hundred  Kentucky 
militia,  badly  armed,  to  reinforce  General  Morgan.  These 
were  immediately  ordered  to  the  water  edge,  to  oppose  the 
enemy's  landing.  Unable  in  their  situation  to  contend  with  a 
superior  force  of  regular  troops  well  armed,  they  soon  broke 
and  fled,  and  the  Louisiana  mihtia  at  General  Morgan's  bat- 
tery followed  their  example.  Commodore  Patterson's  marine 
battery,  being  now  unprotected,  his  crews  were  obliged  to 
yield  to  an  overwhelming  force,  and  the  British  succeeded  in 


1014-  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  415 

silencing  both ;  but  the  opposition  Colonel  Thornton  met 
with  prevented  this  operation  from  bemg  completed,  until 
the  contest  was  nearly  ended  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 
Victory  of  the  Sth,  At  day-light  on  the  morning  of  the  8th, 
the  main  body  of  the  British,  under  their  commander  in  chief, 
General  Packenham,  were  seen  advancing  from  their  encamp-^ 
ment  to  storm  the  American  lines.  On  the  preceding  eve- 
ning, they  had  erected  a  battery  within  eight  hundred 
yards,  which  now  opened  a  brisk  fire  to  protect  their  advance. 
The  British  came  on  in  two  columns,  the  left  along  the  levee 
on  the  bank  of  the  river,  directed  against  the  American  rights 
while  their  right  advanced  to  the  swamp,  with  a  view  to  turn 
General  Jackson's  left.  The  country  being  a  })erfect  level, 
and  the  vie\y  unobstructed,  their  march^ivas  observed  from  its 
eommencement.  They  were  suffered  to  approach  in  silence 
and  unmolested,  until  within  three  hundred  yards  of  the  lines. 
This  period  of  suspense  and  expectation  was  employed  by 
General  Jackson  and  his  officers,  in  stationing  every  man  at 
his  post,  and  arranging  every  thing  for  the  decisive  event* 
When  the  British  columns  had  advanced  within  three  hundred 
yards  of  the  lines,  the  whole  artillery  at  once  opened  upon 
them  a  most  deadly  fire.  Forty  pieces  of  cannon  deeply 
charged  with  grape,  canister,  and  musket  balls,  mowed  them 
down  by  hundreds,  at  the  same  time  the  batteries  on  the  west 
bank  opened  their  fire,  w^hile  the  riflemen  in  perfect  security 
behind  their  works,  as  the  British  advanced  took  deliberate 
aim,  and  nesrly  every  shot  took  effect.  Through  this  destruc^ 
live  fire,  the  British  left  column,  under  the  immediate  orders 
of  the  commander  in  chief,  rushed  on  with  their  fascines,  and 
scaling  ladders  to  the  advance  bastion  op  the  American  right, 
and  succeeded  in  mounting  the  parapet  ;  heTc,  aftera  close 
conflict  with  the  bayonet,  they  succeeded  in  obtaining  posses^ 
sion  of  the  bastion  ;  when  the  battery  planted  in  the  rear  foi- 
its  protection,  opened  its  fire,  and  drove  the  British  from  the 
ground.  On  the  American  left,  the  British  attempted  to  pass 
the  swamp,  and  gain  the  rear,  but  the  w^orks  had  been  extend- 


416  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  ly. 

ed  as  far  into  the  swamp  as  the  ground  would  permit.     Some 
>^     who  attempted  it,  sunk  in  the  mire  and  disappeared  ;  those 
^    behind  seeing  the  fate  of  their  companions,  seasonably  re- 
J    treated  and  gained  the  hard  ground.     The  assault  continued 
^   an  hour  and  a  quarter  :  during  the  whole  time  the  British  were 
\)^  exposed  to  the  deliberate,  and  destructive  fire  of  the  Ameri- 
^    can  artillery  and  musketry,  which  lay  in  perfect  security  be- 
^    hind  their  breastworks  of  cotton  bales,  which  no  balls  could 
^^^    penetrate.     At  ^ght  o'clock,  the  British  columns  drew  off  in 
"^    confusion,  and  retrea4;ed  behind  their  works.      Flushed  with 
success,  the  militia  were  eager  to  pursue  the  British  troops  to 
their  entrenchments,  and  drive  them  immediately  from   the 
island.      A  less  prudent  and  accomplished   general    might 
have  been  induced  to  yield, tO-  the  indiscreet  ardour  of  his 
troops  ;  but  General  Jackson,  understood  too  well  the  nature 
both  of  his  own,  and  his  enemy's  force,  to  hazard  such  an  at- 
tempt.    Defeat   must   inevitably  have  attended  an   assault 
made  by  raw  militia,  upon  an  entrenched  camp  of  British  reg- 
ulars. The  defence  of  New-Orleans  was  the  object ;  nothing 
was  to  be  hazarcted-whrch  w<ould  jeopardize  the  city.    The 
British  were  suffered  to  retire  behind  their  works  without  mo- 
lestation.    The  result  was  such   as  might  be  expected  from 
-   the   different  positions  of  the  two  armies.     General  Packen- 
ham,  near  the  crest  of  the  glacis,  received  a  ball  in  his  knee, 
Still  continuing  to  lead  on  his  men,  another  shot  pierced  his 
body,  and  he  was  carried  off  the  field.     Nearly  at  the  same 
time,  Major  General  Gibbs,  the  second  in  command,  within  a 
few  yards  of  the  lines,  received  a  mortal  wound,  and  was  re- 
moved.    The  third  in  command.  Major  General  Keane,  at  the 
head  of  his  troops  near  the  glacis,  was  severely  wounded ► 
The  three  commanding  generals,  on  marshalling  their  troops 
at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  promised  them  a  plentiful  din- 
ner in  New-Orleans,  and  gave  them  booty  and  beauty  as  the 
parole  and  countersign  of  the  day.     Before  eight  o'clock,  the 
three  generals  were  carried  off  the  field,  two  in  the  agonies  of 
deathj  and  the  third  entirely  disabled  ;  leaving  upwards  of 


jUii.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  4n 

two  thousand  of  their  men,  dead,  dying,  and  wounded,  on  the 
field  of  battle.  Colonel  Raynor,  who  commanded  the  forlorn 
hope  which  stormed  the  American  bastion  on  the  right,  as  he 
was  leading  his  men  up,  had  the  calf  of  his  leg  carried  away 
by  a  cannon  shot.  Disabled  as  he  was,  he  was  the  first  to  mount 
the  parapet,  and  receive  the  American  bayonet.  Seven  hun- 
dred were  killed  on  the  field,  fourteen.  Jauiukfiiwounded,  and 
five  hundred  made  prisoners,  making  a  total  on  that  d^y  of 
twenty-six  hundred.  But  six  Americans  were  killed,  and 
seven  wounded.  Of  General  Morgan's  detachment  on  the 
west  bank,  and  in  a  sortie  on  the  British  lines,  forty-nijie  were 
kilMll^d  one  hundred  and  seventy-eight  wounded. 

After  the  battle,  General  Lambert  who  had  arrived  from 
England  but  two  days  before,  and  was  now  the  only  surviv- 
ing general,  requested  a  truce  for.the-purpoaeL  of  burying  his 
d^d.  This  was  giranted  until  four  ,Q^i>ck  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  ninth.  Lines  were  drawn  one  hundred  rods  distant  from  the 
American  camp,  within  which  the  British  were  not  permitted  to 
approach.  In  the  ditch,  and  in  front  of  the  works,  within  the 
prescribed  lines,  four  hundred  ancj  eighty-two  British  dead 
were  picked  up  by  the  American  troops,  and  delivered  to 
their  companions  over  the  lines  for  buriaL  vThe  afternoon  of 
the  8th,  and  the  whole  of  the  9th,  was  spent  by  the  British 
army  in  burying  their  dead.  The  American  centinels  guard- 
ing the  lines  during  this  interval,  frequently  repeated  in  the 
hearing  of  the  British,  while  tumbling  their  companions  by 
hundreds  into  the  pits,  "  Six  killed,  seven  wounded."  Gen- 
eral Lambert  employed  the  first  moments  of  the  truce^in  re- 
ralling  (^oinne]_Thorntotils_corps  from  the  west  bank.  On 
the  9th,  General  Lambert  and  Admiral  Cochrane,  with  the 
surviving  officers  of  the  army,  held  a  council  of  war,  and  de^ 
termined  to  abandon  the  expedition.  To  withdraw  the  troops 
from  their  position,  and  re-embark  in  the  face  of  a  victorious 
enemy,  presented  an  object  of  nearly  as  much  difficulty  and 
hazard,  as  the  first  landing  and  attack.  To  accomplish  this, 
every  appearance  of  a  renewal  of  the  assault  was  kept  up, 

63 


4ia  HISTOKY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chap.  i9. 

The  British  remained  firm  in  their  position,  and  presented  a 
Bsenacing  front  ontil  the  18th. 

Bombardment  of  St.  Philips,  In  order  to  induce  a  belief 
that  a  united  attack  by  land  and  water,  was  still  intended,  the 
lighter  ships  ascended  the  river  to  the  Detour  la  Plaquemincj. 
and  commenced  a  bombardment  of  fort  St.  Philips  on  the 
9th,  and  continued  it  until  the  17th.  The  ships,  taking  stations 
out  of  the  reach  of  the  guns,  commenced  throwing  shells  into- 
the  fort,  and  continued  it  with  little  intermission  during  the 
whole  time.  Major  Overton,  and  the  garrison  under  his  com- 
mand, sustained  the  attack  wnth  firmness  and  with  little  loss  : 
but  two  were  killed  and  seven  wounded.  On  the^Bhip^the 
ships  withdrew  and  joined  the  squadron  off  Ship  island.  This 
attack  on  fort  St.  Philips  answered  the  purpose  of  keeping 
up  the  alarm  at  New-Orleans,  and  inducing  a  belief  that  an- 
other attempt  was  intended.  During  the  vvhole  of  this  time,, 
the  general  and  admiral  were  with  the  utmost  secrecy  and 
silence,  withdrawing  and  re-embarking  their  heavy  artillery,^ 
baggage,  and  stores. 

Retreat  of  the  British,  On  the  night  of  the  1 8th,  they  broke 
up  tlieir  encampment,  and  commenced  their  'retreat  to  the 
place  of  therr  first  landing.  To  accomplish  this  with  safety, 
it  was  necessary  that  the  army  should  move  in  one  body^ 
With  this  view,  immediately  after  the  battle  of  the  8th,  large 
working  parties  had  been  employed  in  constructing  a  road 
through  a  quagmire,  for  a  considerable  distance  along  the 
margin  of  the  bayou;  by  binding  together  large  quantities  of 
reeds,  and  laying  them  across  the  mire  ;  in  the  course  of  nine 
days,  these  parties  had  constructed  something  resembling  a 
road  from  their  encampment,  to  the  place  of  debarkation.. 
Along  this  insecure  tract,  the  British  army  silently  stole  their 
Ciarch  in  the  night  of  the  18th  of  January.  By  the  treading 
of  the  first  corps,  the  bundles  of  reeds  gave  way,  and  their 
followers  had  to  wade  up  to  their  knees  in  mire.  Several  per- 
ished in  the  sloughs,  the  darkness  of  the  night  preventing  their 
companions  from  affording  relief.     At  the  mouth  of  the  bayou 


rdl4,  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  dl-t) 

were  a  few  huts  which  afforded  shelter  for  fishermen,  in  the 
season  of  catching  fish  for  the  New-Orleans  market ;  here  the 
ti'oops  halted  and  bivouacked  previous  to  their  embarkation. 
Their  provisions  being  exhausted,   a  few  crumbs  of  biscuit, 
and  a  small  allowance  of  rum  was  their  only  support.     Here 
they  were  eighty  miles  from  their  ships,  the  whole  of  which 
distance  they  had  to  traverse  in  small  open  boats  ;  and  hav- 
ing but  few  of  these,  the  embarkation  occupied  ten  days.     On 
the  27th,  the  whole  land  and  naval  forces  which  remained  of 
this  disastrous  expedition,  to  their  great  joy,  found  themselves 
on  board  their  ships.     Their  ranks  thinned,  their  chiefs  and 
many  of  their  companions  slain,  their  bodies  emaciated  with 
hunger,  fatigue,  and  sickness  ;  they  gladly  quitted  this  inauspi- 
cious country.  The  surviving  commanding  general  observes, 
*'  that  the  services  of  both  army  and  navy,  since  their  landing 
on  this  coast,  have  been  arduous  beyond  any  thing  he  ever 
before  witnessed,  and  difficulties  have  been  got  over  with  an 
assiduity  and  perseverance  beyond  example  by   all  ranks." 
A  British  officer  of  distinction,  an  actor  in  the  scene,  thus  de- 
scribes his  tour  from  the   encampment  to   the  embarkation. 
"  For  some  time,our  route  lay  along  the  high  road  beside  the 
brink  of  the  river,  and  was  agreeable  enough  ;  but  as  soon  as 
we  began  to  enter  upon  the  path  through  the  marsh,  all  com- 
fort was  at  an  end.  Being  constructed  of  materials  so  slight,  and 
resting  upon  a  foundation  so  infirm,  the  treading  of  the  first 
corps  unavoidably  beat  it  to  pieces  :  those  which  followed 
were  therefore  compelled  to  flounder  on  in  the  best  way  they 
could  ;  and  by  the  time  the  rear  of  the  column  gained  the  mo- 
rass, all  trace  of  a  way  had  entirely  disappeared.     But  not 
only  were  the  reeds  torn  asunder  and  sunk  by  the  pressure  of 
those  who  had  gone  before,  but  the  bog  itself  which  at  first 
might  have  furnished  a  few  spots  of  firm  footing,  was  trodden 
into  the   consistency  of  mud.     The  consequence   was,   that 
every  step  sunk  us  to  the  knees,  and  frequently  higher.  Near 
the  ditches,  indeed,  many   spots   occurred  which  we  had  the 
utmost  difficulty  of  crossing  at  all  ;  and  as  the  night  was  dark;^ 


42§  tilSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  19/ 

there  being  no  moon,  nor  any  light,  except  what  the  stars  sup- 
plied, it  was  difficult  to  select  our  steps,  or  even  to  follow 
those  who  called  to  us  that  they  were  safe  on  the  other  side. 
At  one  of  these  places,  I  myself  beheld  an  unfortunate  wretch 
gradually  sink,  until  he  totally  disappeared.  1  saw  him 
flounder  in,  heard  him  cry  for  help,  and  ran  forward  with  in- 
tention of  savihg  him  ;  but  before  I  had  taken  a  second  step,^ 
I  myself  sunk  at  once  as  high  as  the  breast.  I  could  feel  no 
solid  bottom  under  me,  and  continued  slowly  to  go  deeper  and 
deeper,  till  the  mud  reached  my  arnis.  Instead  of  endeav- 
oiiring  to  help  the  poor  soldier,  of  whom  nothing  now  could 
be  seen  except  the  head  and  hands,  1  was  forced  to  beg  as- 
sistance for  myself,  when  a  leathern  canteen  strap  being 
thrown  me,  I  laid  hold  of  it,  and  was  dragged  out  just  as  my 
fellow-sufferer  became  invisible.  Over  roads  such  as  these* 
did  we  continue  our  march  auring  the  whole  of  the  night,  and 
in  the  morning  arrived  at  a  place  called  Fishermen's  huts, 
consisting  of  a  clump  of  mud-built  cottages,  standing  by  the 
edge  of  the  water,  on  a  part  of  the  morass  rather  more  firm 
than  the  rest.  Here  we  were  ordered  to  halt  ;  wearied  with 
exertions,  and  oppressed  with  want  of  sleep,  1  threw  myself 
on  the  ground  without  so  much  as  taking  off  my  muddy  gar- 
ments, and  in  an  instant  all  cares  and  troubles  were  forgotten. 
Nor  did  i  awake  from  that  deep  slumber  for  many  hours; 
when  I  arose,  cold  and  stiff,  and  addressed  myself  to  the  last 
morsel  of  salt  pork  my  wallet  contained.  Without  tents  or 
huts  of  any  description,  our  bed  was  the  morass,  and  our  only 
Covering  the  clothes  which  had  not  quitted  our  backs  for  more 
than  a  month  ;  oiir  fires  were  composed  solely  of  reeds,  which 
Kke  straw,  soon  blaze  up  and  expire  again,  without  com- 
municating any  degree  of  warmth.  But  above  all,  our  pro- 
visions were  expended,  and  from  what  quarter  an  immediate 
supply  was  to  be  obtained,  we  could  not  discover*  Our  sole 
dependence  was  upon  the  boats.  Of  these  a  flotilla  lay  ready 
to  receive  us,  in  which  were  already  embarked  the  black 
^'.drps,  and  the  44th ;  but  they  had  brought^with  them  only  food 


1814.  mSTORYOF  T«E  LATE  WAR.  421 

for  their  own  use,  it  was  therefore  necessary  that  ihey  should 
reach  the  fleet  and  return  again  before  we  could  be  supplied* 
But  as  the  nearest  shipping  was  eighty  miles  distant,  and  the 
weather  might  become  boisterous,  or  the  winds  obstinate,  we 
might  starve  before  any  supply  could  arrive.  As  soon  as  the 
boats  returned,  regiment  after  regiment  embarked,  and  set 
sail  for  the  fleet ;  but  the  distance  being  considerable,  and  the 
wind  foul,  many  days  elapsed  before  the  whole  could  be  got 
oif ;  by  the  end  of  the  month,  we  were  all  once  more  on  board 
-our  former  ships." 

Capture  cf  Fort  Ba^et.  This  armament,  being  now  all  on 
ship-board,  proceeded  to  a  more  easy  and  obtainable  con- 
ques-t.  The  brave  Colonel  Lawrence,  who  so  nobly  defend- 
ed fort  Boyer  at  Mobile  point,  on  the  15th  of  September,  was 
now  besieged  at  the  same  place  by  this  whole  force.  On  the 
Sth  of  February,  nearly  one  hundred  sail  appeared  off*  the 
island  of  Dauphine,  and  commenced  a  cannonade  on  the  fort ; 
this  continued  until  the  11th,  when  a  landing  having  been  ef- 
fected, and  batteries  erected  in  the  rear  of  the  fort,  Colonel 
Lawrence  was  summoned  to  surrender,  and  reluctantly 
obliged  to  yield  to  an  overwhelming  powef.  The  garrison  con- 
sisted of  three  hundred  and  seventy-five,  including  officers;  the 
opposing  force,  by  land  and  water,  to  nearly  ten  thousand.  This 
was  the  last  and  only  successful  achievement  of  the  New-Or* 
leans  armament,  which  had  excited  the  highest  expectation  of 
Its  friends,  and  the  apprehensions  of  its  enemies. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

'^f'reatment  of  American  Seamen  in  British  service  at  the  Commence 
mentofthe  War. — Colonel  Beasley's  Correspondence  with  the  Brit- 
ish Government  on  the  subject. — Those  who  refuse  to  serve,  treated 
as  prisoners  of  War,  and  confined  in  Dartmoor  Prison. — Description 
of  that  place. — ^Number  of  American  Prisoners  confined  there. — • 
Escape  of  Lieutenant  R.  G. — Attack  upon,  and  Slaughter  of 
the  Prisoners  on  the  6th  of  April,  1815. — Report  of  joint  Com- 
missioners appointed  to  examine  the  subject — Meeting  of  the  Legisla- 
ture of  Massachusetts,  October  1814. — View  of  the  situation  of  that 
State.— Governor's  Message  and  Documents. — Report  of  Committee 
recommending  a  Convention  of  Delegates  from  the  New-England 
States. — Protest  of  the  Minority  against  the  Report. — Proceedings 
of  those  States  on  the  subject. — Meeting  of  the  Delegates  at  Hart- 
ford.— Their  Powers  examined. — Their  Journal,  Proceedings,  and 
Report. — Proceedings  of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  on  the  Re- 
port of  the  Convention. — Amendments  to  the  Constitution  recom- 
mended*— Tjansmitted  to  the  other  States,  and  rejected. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war,  all  British  subjects  found 
m  the  United  States,  were  permitted  to  return  to  their  native 
country,  and  every  facihty  granted  for  their  accommodation. 
Those  who  chose  to  remain,  were  laid  under  no  other  embar- 
rassment in  the  pursuit  of  their  ordinary  concerns,  than  being 
obliged  to  retire  from  thirty  to  fifty  miles  from  the  sea-board, 
to  prevent  an  intercourse  with  the  enemy. 

Treatment  of  Americans  in  England^  at  the  Declaration  of 
War,  In  Great  Britain,  similar  facilities  were  granted  to  such 
Americans  as  were  there  for  the  purposes  of  business,  travel- 
ling, or  amusement.  But  there  was  another  class  of  Ameri- 
can citizens,  who  were  destined  to  receive  a  very  dift'erent 
treatment.  Seventy  American  vessels  found  in  British  ports 
when  tht  news  of  the  declaration  of  war  reached  England, 
were  seized  and  condemned,  and  their  crews  detained  as  pri- 
soners of  war. 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  423 

Of  impressed  Seamen,  Between  two  and  three  thousand 
impressed  American  seamen,  found  on  board  British  ships,  at 
sea  and  in  port,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  claimed 
the  right  of  being  exempt  from  serving  against  their  native 
country.  Every  method  was  adopted  which  ingenuity  could 
devise,  by  promises,  threats,  and  in  many  instances  by  actual 
violence,  to  compel  them  to  serve.  Such  Americans  as  were 
in  port,  and  could  find  opportunity,  communicated  their  griev- 
ances to  Colonel  Beasley,  the  American  agent  for  prisoners 
of  war  in  England,  and  sought  his  advice  and  assistance.  His 
advice,  whenever  he  could  have  an  opportunity  to  communi- 
cate with  them,  was,  that  under  no  circumstances  they  should 
bear  arms  against  their  country  ;  to  demand  their  discharge 
and  their  privileges  as  American  citizens  ;  and,  in  case  of  re- 
fusal, to  surrender  themselves  prisoners  of  war.  His  assist- 
ance was  given  them  in  a  very  able  and  eloquent  appeal  to 
the  board  of  admiralty  in  their  behalf.  In  reply  they  requir- 
ed of  him  the  names  of  the  persons  in  whose  behalf  he  inter- 
fered and  the  vessels,  on  board  of  which  they  were  detained. 
He  named  John  Ballord  on  board  the  Zenolia,  who  offered 
himself  as  a  prisoner,  was  refused  to  be  received  as  such,  and 
put  in  irons.  John  Davison  board  the  Thistle,  who  gave 
himself  up  as  a  prisoner,  and  refused  further  services,  for 
which  he  was  flogged.  Ephraim  Court  on  board  the  La  Hogue, 
gave  himself  up  as  a  prisoner,  and  refused  further  service,  in 
consequence  of  which  he  was  kept  seven  days  in  irons.  John 
Hosman,  and  Russel  Brainard,  of  the  same  ship,  for  the  same 
conduct,  were  put  in  irons  and  threatened  with  further  pun- 
ishment. Thomas  W,  Marshal,  Peter  Lazette^  Edward  W* 
Banks,  and  Levi  Zounger,  on  board  the  Royal  William,  gave 
themselves  up  as  prisoners,  and  were  in  consequence  thereof 
put  into  close  confinement  for  eight  days.  But  the  great 
mass  of  American  impressed  seamen,  Mr.  Beasley  could  have 
no  access  to,  arid  no  opportunity  was  given  them  to  state 
their  cases.  Ou  his  requesting  of  the  admiralty,  tlie  liberty 
of  addressing  an  open  letter  to  them  on  the  subject,  he  was 


424  mSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  Chaf.  20. 

peremptorily  refused.  The  admiralty  determined  that  such 
as  could  not  be  induced  to  continue  their  serviccy  should  be 
treated  as  prisoners  of  wQ.r.  The  result  of  these  proceedings 
was,  that  on  each  application  a  strict  examination  was  had 
of  the  case  of  the  applicant,  under  every  disadvantage  on  his 
part,  and  before  judges  under  the  strongest  bias  to  decide 
against  him.  Even  under  these  circumstances,  more  than  two 
thousand  applicants  proved  themselves  to  be  American  citi- 
zens, and  instead  of  being  paid  for  their  past  services,  and 
honourably  discharged,  were  without  a  shilhng  immured  in 
prison  ships,  and  in  the  Dartmoor  prison  during  the  war. 

It  attempting  to  compel  American  seamen  to  fight  against 
their  native  country,  the  British  government  set  at  defiance 
all  those  nice  principles  on  the  subject  of  natural  allegiance, 
which  they  so  strenuously  advocated,  when  it  suited  their 
views. 

Mr.  Beasley  was  indeed  offered,  that  if  he  would  give  his 
receipt  for  them  as  prisoners  of  war,  to  be  accounted  for  in  a 
-future  exchange,  with  condition  not  to  serve  until  exchanged, 
they  should  be  delivered  to  him  to  be  transported  to  America 
at  the  expense  of  his  government.  To  this  proposition,  neither 
he  nor  the  government  could  accede  ;  and  these  unfortunate 
men,  in  whose  behalf  alone  the  war  was  now  carrying  on,to  the 
amount  of  more  than  two  thousand,  were  doomed  to  undergo 
a  confinement,  less  eligible  than  that  from  which  they  had 
been  transferred. 

Remonstrance  of  American  Agent  for  Prisoners,  To  a  pro- 
ceeding so  cruel  to  the  unfortunate  subjects,  and  such  an  out" 
rage  upon  the  principles  and  usages  of  national  law,  Mr, 
Beasley  presented  an  able  and  eloquent  remonstrance  ;  stating 
that  "taking  into  view  the  manner  in  which  these  unfortu- 
nate persons  came  into  the  power  of  the  British  government, 
that  their  own  rights  and  inclinations,  the  rights  of  their  coun- 
try, the  law  of  nations,  and  every  principle  of  justice  was  vio- 
lated, by  the  very  act  by  which  these  men  were  brought  with- 
in Its  power,  and  that  the  injury  accumulates  so  long  as  any 


1^14.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  425 

of  them  so  remain.  They  are  on  every  ground  entitled  to,  and 
the  British  government  are  bound  to  grant  their  immediate  and 
complete  release.  It  acquired  them  only  as  the  spoils  of  un- 
lawful violence  ;  how  then  can  it  retain  them  as  the  fruits  of 
lawful  war  ?  Its  right  to  control  them,  can  only  arise  from 
the  lawfulness  of  their  detention,  but  that  which  was  unlawfully 
taken  cannot  be  rightfully  held  ;  and  to  acknowledge  the  pre- 
tension to  such  control,  as  their  lordships'  purpose  implies, 
would  be  to  legitimate  the  act  by  which  they  came  into  their 
power.  The  British  government,  Mr.  Beasley  observes,  dis- 
claims all  right  and  all  intention  to  take  them  ;  this  disavowal 
is  an  acknowledgment  of  its  obligation  to  restore  them  to  the 
same  condition,  and  to  the  same  freedom  from  which  they 
were  taken.  On  what  ground  is  it  that  they  are  to  be  treated 
as  prisoners  of  war  ?  Not  many  years  since,  all  Europe  re- 
sounded with  the  complaints  of  Great  Britain  against  France, 
for  detaining  as  prisoners  of  war,  certain  British  subjects,  who, 
having  entered  France  in  time  of  peace,  were  found  there  at 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  But  if  this  was  regarded  in  Eng- 
land as  an  outrage,  what  will  be  thought  of  this  detention  as 
prisoners  of  war  of  American  seamen,  who,  having  been  un- 
lawfully taken  on  the  high  seas,  and  forcibly  carried  into  the 
British  service  in  time  of  peace,  are  found  therein  at  the  break- 
ing out  of  a  war,  doing  her  service,  and  fighting  her  battles  ? 
The  conduct  of  France  was  in  this  instance  attempted  to  bq 
justified  by  certain  acts  of  England,  which  were  alleged  to 
be  equally  contrary  to  the  law  of  nations.  But  what  justifica. 
tion  or  excuse  can  be  set  up  for  the  conduct  of  Great  Britain 
toward  American  seamen  ?  What  infraction  upon  the  law 
of  nations,  what  violence  or  injustice  toward  British  subjects, 
or  what  outrage  is  this  cruel  act  to  retahate  ?  It  cannot  be  the 
free  and  spontaneous  permission  given  by  the  United  States 
at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  for  every  British  subject  of 
every  class  and  description  found  within  their  territories,  or 
within  their  power,  to  return  to  his  country,  that  this  impri- 
sonment of  American  seamen  is  to  requite.     Surely  this  can- 

34 


4v:5  arStOR;    OF  lim  hATR  W  A^.  Chap.  20 

not  be  the  indt-mniiiration  which  (titp-m  Britain  ofFers^'jihtsf: 
unfortunate  mcnToruie  wronr^s  she  ht?  inflicted  on  iliQiii  \  or 
the  reward  she  0)Ters  for  the  service  she  i  a?  x'eceivdd  ai; 
their  hands." 

To  the  untjU;!!iiied  irohibiti  >n.  o;  .;di  inS^:rcou^se  between 
ike'.'Vtti^rican  -^gcat.  and  the  iD^^^^esscJ  s*  .•  ,  ,  Mr.  B(-asley 
an5\vei>.  that  ^' lie  must  subiiiit.  Il:  ■  r?Iu  i  '.  ,n  which  they 
.^^'^ood  lu  Lii^i  isemned  to  authjiii^e  a  ^-ommunicatic  n.  Their 
Objj^ci  wasto  ob'sin  information  a > id  counsel  es  to  ''  •.-  p.'oper 
mode  of  conducting  under  circumscances  so  difficult  and  nove?- 
arlonan  oasion  the  most  sofenin  and  imoortant."  H\^ 
object  \\a;;,  after  having  Mailed  five  months  in  vam  tc»;  an  an- 
swer to  his  apphcation  r.n  their  behalf,  and  having  faikii  in 
aH  his  anempts  too*)taiii  their  rehabc,  to  recommend  to  the  t] 
to  give  themselves  up  as  prisoners  o''  war,* 

It  was  scarcely  to  have  been  exp. /^led,  after  the  prince  re- 
gent's proclamation  requiring  all  British  hytn  si  bje<^[s  in  fok- 
eign  nations  to  return  to  their  country,  and  alter  the  princi- 
ples on  the  subject  of  nature.  1  allCgiance  which  the  British 
government  adopted  in  relation  totne  prisoners  at  Qupenston. 
that  such  measures  woulv  "have  been  adopted  to  force  Ameri- 
can impressed  seamen  to  fight  the  battles  of  Brrrm  against 
their  native  country.  This  reasoning  of  Mr.  Beas^ley,  was 
never  attempted  to  be  answered.  But  it  had  no  eiTect  upon 
a  government  determined  try  pursue  a  course  of  policy  which 
it  condemned.  The  communicution  lay  seventy-three  davs 
before  the  admiralty  boar]  to  whom  ii  was  addressed,  ai  d 
was  then  handed  over  to  the  transport  officer  ;  who  replied, 
that  ^'  the  lords  of  the  admiralty  did  not  think  proper  to  an- 
swer the  letter,  because  it  related  to -subjects  which  the  powers 
of  the  American  agent  did  not  apth<  rize  him  to  discuss,  and 
though  it  would  have  been  easy  to  have  completely  answered 
^he  miscoK  •(■r)tions  and  misstatements  it  contained,  it  would 


*  Mr.  Beasley's  letter  to  the  ^itliniralty. 


1814,  HISTORY  OF  I^E  LATE  Wm,  •.  .       427 

oe  useless  to  procee  1  with  a  coriespondence  which  wou*  '  con-> 
duce  to  no  practical  result;**  ay;:(fainting  him  at  th^:  sai^^f^ 
timr,  that)i.  >  perscn  confined  in  prison  as  an  American  sea- 
man, Could  'ae  rcU^< 6ed,  unies.'^  m  each  individual  case  he 
fjhoulu  produce  satisfuctory  proofs,  that  such  person  was  a 
natural  born  American  citiz-en,  in  which  case  hi  would  he  im- 
mediately released  from  prison  upon  the  usyc'  terms  of  ex- 
change, if  he  Hi'il  been  a  volunteer  in  their  ^:e^vice,  or  if  an 
impressed  ssea men,  freely  and  without  exchange.  The  pro- 
tections and  certificates  of  citizenship,  with  which  American 
seamen  had  been  generally  furnished,  had  been  repeatly  de- 
clared by  the  admiralty  to  furnish  no  evidence  in  their  favour, 
and  these  unfortunate  men,  confined  in  prison  without  the 
privilege  of  communicating  with  their  friends,  or  with  the 
American  agent,  were  unable  generally  to  procure  any  other. 
Mr.  Beasley  eP,ia:tGd  himself  to  procure  the  i:;equisite  testimo-^^ 

#uy  in  all  the  cases,  which  came  to  his  knowledge  ;  and  out  bf 
ohu  hundred  and  eighty-four,  presented  by  him  to  the  British 
admiralty,  from  the  9th  of  March,  to  the  I8th  of  September, 
1813,  he  obtained  only  one  discharge.  The  British  were  in 
possession  of  several  thousand  American  seamen  on  board 
t^^  ir  ships  of  war,  and  were  determined  to  retain  them.    Some 

^!^if  hese  persons  were  found  on  b  44rd  their  ships  in  most  of 
'.vne  battles  fought  and  captures  madt^i  Many  times,  howeverj 
m  actual  engagement,  their  services  were  no  benefit  to  their 
oppressors. 

Impressed  Seamen  treated  as  Prisoners  of  War,  and  confin- 
ed in  DartmhOTj  Those  who  could  not  be  induced  to  bear 
arms  against  their  country,  were  conveyed  to  Dartmoor  pri- 
son, and  there  confined  until  the  end  of  the  war.  The  Amer- 
ican government  couk^  not  exchange  th^em,  without  in  some 
measure  recognising  the  right  of  the  British  government  Ko 
treat  them  as  prisoners.  Most  of  them,  therefore,  wer*  .v.ofi- 
^eeilm  Dartmoor,  hopeless  of  exchange. 

Pe,i'.ription  of  Dartmoor  Prison,  This  depot  is  situate  ia 
the  county  of  Devon,  fifteen  miles  north-east  of  the  naval  sta 


428  HlSTORi!  UF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  iO 

tion  at  Plymouth,  twenty-six  north-west  of  Exeter,  the  capital 
of  the  county,  and  two  hundred  miles  south-west  of  London. 
It  is  elevated  seventeen  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  in  a  region  of  country,  uneven,  barren,  and  dreary.     It 
consists  of  seven  prisons,  each   calculated   to  contain  from 
eleven  to  fifteen  hundred  men.     The  prisoners  are  under  the 
care  of  an  agent,  appointed  by,  and  subject  to  the  control  of, 
the  transport  board.     Two  thousand  militia,  and  two  compa- 
nies of  royal  artillery  are  stationed  here  to  guard  the  prison- 
ers.    This  is  the  general  depot  for  all  that   are  taken  and 
brought  into  England,  until  they  are  exchanged.     The  pri- 
sons are  all  strongly  built  of  stone,  and  surrounded  by  two 
circular  walls,  the  outer  one  measuring  a  mile  in  circumfer- 
ence, and  enclosing  an  area  of  fifty  acres.     Upon  the  inner 
wall  are  military  walks  for  centinels.     Within  it  are  iron  pal- 
lisadoes  ten  feet  high,  and  twenty  feet  distant  from  each  other  ; 
adjoining  the  outer  wall,  are  guard-houses  on  the  north,  east, 
and  south  sides.     There  are  three  separate  yards  which  com- 
municate with  each  other,  through  a  passage  one  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  long,  and  twenty  broad,  guarded  on  each  side  by 
iron  bars,  over  which,  and  fronting  the  prison  No.  4,  is  a  walk 
for  the  centinels.  Opposite  this  passage, is  the  market  square  ; 
a  person  passing  into  either  yard,   has  to  pass  through   two 
iron  gates  ;  so  that  all  communication  between  the  yards,  may 
be  stopped  at  pleasure  by  shutting  the  gates.     The  first  yard 
contains  the  prisons,  Nos.  1,  2,  and   3.      The  second  con- 
tains, No.  4,  and  is  allotted  to  blacks,  and  separated  from  the 
other  yards  by  two  stone  walls,  fourteen  feet  high.     The  third 
yard  contains  Nos.  5,  G,  and  7.     Within  the  first  yard,  and 
just  north  of  No.  1,  stands  the  eandemned  prison,  a  place  of 
fjunishment  for  various  offences  committed  by  the  prisoners  : 
this  is  capable  of  containing  only  about  sixty  prisoners,  who 
are  allowed  a  blanket   and  straw,   instead  of  their  ordinary 
bedding,  and  are  kept  on  short  allowance  ;  a  small  aperture 
near  the  roof  admits  the  only  light.     Fronting  the  first  yard. 
is  a  W9ll  separating  it  kam  the  hospital  ;  from  the  third  yard 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  4i29 

is  another  wall  separating  it  from  the  barracks.  The  market 
place,  fronting  the  passage  leading  from  one  yard  to  the  other 
is  nearly  square,  and  capable  of  containing,  five  thousand 
persons.  The  market  is  open  every  day  except  Sundays,  at 
eleven,  and  closed  at  two  ;  where  the  country  people  come  to 
trade  with  the  prisoners.  At  the  upper  part  of  the  market 
square,  are  two  storehouses,  one  for  the  prisoners,  and  one 
for  the  king's  stores.  The  other  buildings  attached  to  the  es- 
tablishment, are  the  houses  for  the  agent,  physician,  clerks, 
and  turnkeys.  To  enter  either  of  the  prison  yards  from  with- 
out, a  person  must  pass  through  five  gates.  Fronting  the  outer 
gate,  is  a  reservoir  of  water  which  supplies  the  establishment, 
brought  the  distance  of  five  miles.  The  hospital  department 
is  under  the  superintendence  of  a  physician  and  two  assist- 
ants. The  American  prisoners  of  war,  comprehending  im- 
pressed seamen,  the  balance  of  all  prisoners  taken,  or 
brought  into  America  after  the  exchanges  were  made,  being 
transported  to  England,  and  all  maritime  prisoners  carried 
into  Great  Britain,  were  confined,  and  strictly  guarded  in  this 
depot.*  On  the  6th  of  April,  1815,  they  had  accumulated 
to  five  thousand  six  hundred. 

The  prisoners  were  every  night  at  a  given  signal,  soon  af- 
ter sunset,  obliged  to  retire  to  their  rooms,  and  were  there 
locked  up  until  morning.  At  the  same  time  the  gates  were 
all  closed  ;  and  numerous  sentinels  on  the  walls,  and  at  the 
gates  and   avenues. 

Escape  of  Lieutenant  R.  G,  An  escape  seemed  impossi- 
ble ;  one,  however,  was  attempted  by  Mr.  R.  G.  lieutenant  of 
the  privateer  Rattlesnake,  which  was  finally  attended  with 
success.  He  procured  a  sufficient  quantity  of  old  rope  yarn, 
with  which  he  constructed  a  rope  eighty  feet  in  length,  and  ob- 
tained a>niform  and  a  great  coat  resembhng  those  which  the 


*  Relation  by  an  American  officer,  who  had  been  prisoner  in  Dart- 
moor, published  in  Essex  Re<?ister,  June  1815. — Salem^  <Mass, 


f>entuieis  wore  wlile  or;  duty  ,  bavJag  made  these  prepara- 
tions^ he  obtained  V'.q  cuntersign  for  stx  guineas,  from  ca  y 
t»i  ihe  guards:  an3>>  short  time  previous  to  the  relief  at  ^k^v 
.nghtvv^ileotiy  lpwerf?d  himself  down  by  his  rope  from  ^no 
wjMow  of  hi.,  rooi  '  in  the  upper  loft,  eighty  feel  froi;^  the 
gfound  ;  armed  vith  a  dagger*  and  accoutred  ai^  a  sen^^ui!, 
with  h»s  umbrella  under  his  great  coat,  in  the  manne.v  thV. 
guards  Ufiually  •'^rried  their  guns  while  on  dut^?.  He  conceav 
eel  hiriself^ih-'.er  the  walls  of  the  prison  until  the  relief  came 
fotin<!^.  ind  ^^^hen  the  gates  opened  to  relieve  the  guard,  he 
fejldly  marched  up  and  was  challenged  by  two  sentine^?  at 
'the  first  gate,  and  the  countersign  demanded  ;  this  he  reapliiy 
gave,  and  was  direUfca"  *o  pass  on  by  the  sentinp)  who  chal- 
lenged him  ;  but  the  other  who  was  the  one  that  had  received 
*he  bribt^  sai(3no,'itVas  one  of  the  American  prisoners,  and 
vinmediaieiy  sei^  d'him.  The  lieutenant, finding  his  case  des- 
perate, and  indignant  at  the  villain  who  had  received  his  mo- 
ney only  to  betray  him,  sprung  upo.p  him  with  his  dagger,  and 
would  have  taken  exemplary  vengeai  --:;>  t  die  expense  oi 
his  own  life,  but  he  was  immediately  o.vi  rjiowered  by  the 
guards,  taken  back  and  confined  in  the  bligick  hole  or  con- 
demned prison,  without  light,  furnished  only  with  a  little 
straw,  and  fed  on  bread  and  water  for  ten  days.  He  was  then 
taken  out,  brought  before  the  superintendent,  and  required 
to  give  up  the  name  of  the  person,  from  whom  he  received 
the  countersign.  Had  the  sentinel  been  faithful  to  the  lieu- 
tenant, no  consideration  would  have  induced  him  to  give 
him  up;  but  as  the  soldier  had  been  guilty  of  V  double 
treachery,  he  was  under  no  honorary  obligation  to  conceal 
his  naMe.  He  informed  the  superintendent  of  the  name  and 
conduct  of  the  villain,  who  received  three  hundred  lashes  for 
his  villany.  Mr.  G.  being  now  restored  to  the  condition  of 
ordinary  prisoners,  and  having  preserved  his  accoutrements, 
determined  to  make  another  attempt,  notwithstanding  the 
goards  were  doubled  in  consequence  of  the  first.  He  again 
obtained  the  countersign  for  three  guineas,  let  himself  do^vn 


'MU,  lasTOR^  or  ■Wr^i^.LATl::  WAir  4. it 

m  the'senie  n^J^nBer  as  before,  niixed  with  the  guards  4i;t  the 
timeof  relits"  t\iid  fe^^fxeered  in  ]?ii^^ing.$U  the  barriers,  al  :;!• 
bei ng  stopper i  i\ : ; (}"?#samint!v«  seventeen  times.     No  time  Wi^ 
*o  be.  lo.  *^  tlie  riv;..    »yas  fost  spending,  when  he  gave  DdiYi- 
moor|:r:  <  ri>.J^;>k)ok,  and  made  his  way  across  the  fields, 
tow^Aii*  the  coast,  without  money  or  friends,  and  apprehen- 
sive of 'i  .  iig  arrested  by  every  person  he  should  meet.   Hav- 
ing reached  the  coast,  weary  and  hungry,  he  found  a  boat 
ei<;hteen  feet  Iof>g,  furnished  with  one  oar;  without  provision*/ 
\vatpi-,  compass,  or  any  guide,  he  put  himself  t.o  sea  in  this 
little  b^rk  for  the  coast  of  France,  a  distance  m  one  hundred 
miles,    if;  ving  obtamed  a  good  offi?/^;,  he  tunyerted  his  um- 
brella and  apart  of  his  clothes  into  a  sari;;antil  with  his  oar  in 
the  stern,  !^iVjered  for  the  continent.     About  hall-passage  over, 
the  sea  i anriirig  high,  and  the  wind  frt^.^..  he  discovered  a  brig 
cf  war^K-ar  bim.,  he  immediately  hoiled  in  hiAsail,  and  made 
from^l^e  iitr*^-  Fortunately  he  was  too  stfrt^Sran  object  to  be, 
discovejyjdj.e?mi:  passed  her  unnoticed.     A.\|>ei:;a  perilous  voy" 
age  of  thirty-si fv  hours,  he  landed  in  safi-ty  oil  the  coast  of 
Fra^QC^}  '?i^id  sodi*  afterwards  found  a  pas,  age  to  the  Umled 
States. 

Immediately  after  the  ratification  *i^'the  treaty  of  peace  hy 
the  prince  regent,  the  third  article  of  which  provides  "  that 
r'l  prisoners  of  war  taken  on  either  side,  shall  be  restored  as 
o«>n  as  practicable,"  Colonel  Beasley  applied  to  the  British 
government  for  the  .discharge  of  the  prisoners  confined  at 
Dartmoor,  proposing  as  a  condition,  that  they  should  be  con- 
sidere  j  still  as  prisoners  of  war,  and  not  at  liberty  to  serve  un- 
til regularly  exchanged  in  the  event  of  the  treaty's  not  being 
ratified  by  the  American  government.  This  proposition  was 
refused,  and  the  prisoners  still  held  in  custody.  Intelligence 
of  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  by  the  President,  arrived  in 
England  on  the  20th  of  March  ;  arrangements,  however, 
were  not  completed  for  the  discharge  of  the  prisoners  and 
their  transportation  to  America,  until  the  last  of  April;  the 
governments  not  agreeing  which  should  bear  the  expense  of 


432  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  20. 

transportation.  The  intervening  time  to  persons  who  had 
been  so  long  confined,  was  a  period  of  much  anxiety,  and 
disquietude.  A  great  and  increasing  misunderstanding  exist- 
ed between  the  prisoners  and  Captain  Shortland  the  superin- 
tendent. 

Disturbances  at  Dartmoor.     On  the  6th  of  April,  some  of 
the  prisoners,  as  a  matter  of  amusement,  had  perforated  the 
walls  of  one  of  the  buildings,  and  made  a  hole  sufficient  to  ad- 
mit a  person  to  pass  through.     Captain  Shortland  observing 
this,  and  seeing  also,  what  he  apprehended  to  be  some  unu- 
sual movements  among  the  prisoners,  supposed  they  were  at- 
tempting to  make  an  escape.     He  ordered  the  alarm  bell  to 
be  rung,  a  signal  for  calling  together  the  military.     The  pri- 
soners, very  few  of  whom  had  any  knowledge  of  the  perfora- 
tion, and  none  had  any  idea  of  making  an  escape,  rushed  out 
into  the  adjoining  yards,  to  inquire  into  the  cause  of  the  alarm. 
^  scene  of  confusion  and  disorder  now  ensued.     The  military 
assembled  at  the  sound  of  the  alarm  bell  ;  and  by  order  of 
the  superintendent,  fired  on  the  prisoners.     They  attempted 
to  regain  their  prisons,  but  the  confusion  and  crowd  was  so 
great,  that  a  considerable  time  elapsed,  during  which  the  guard 
continued  firing  into  the  passages  where  the  crowd  was  the 
greatest ;  and  after  the  greater  part  of  the  prisoners  had  re- 
gained the  buildings,    several  of  the   last  were  shot  down. 
Slaughter  of  the  Prisoners,     Seven  were   killed  outright, 
thirty-three   wounded,  some  of  whom  died  soon  after  of  their 
wounds.     This  transaction  was  viewed  by  the  prisoners  as  a 
wanton  act  of  cruelty  and  murder  on  the  part  of  the  superin- 
tendent.    As  they  were  then  in  hourly  expectation  of  being 
honourably  discharged   with  the  means  of  returning  to  their 
native  country,  there  could  be  no  possible  inducement  for  :ui 
escape;  and  had  the  prison  doors  been  opened  under  these 
circumstances,  no  one  would  have  gone  out.     They  supposed, 
therefore,  that  the  alarm   and  confusion  was  created  by  the 
superintendent,  as  an  excuse  and  cover  for  his  previous  rmel- 
lips  and  extortion. 


'i814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  433 

By  an  arrangement  between  Messrs.  Clay  and  Gallatin, 
then  in  England  on  their  return  from  Ghent,  and  Lord  Cas- 
tlereagh,a  joint  commission  of  two  persons,  one  nominated  by 
each  party,  was  agreed  upon  to  examine  into  the  subject  and 
report  the  facts.  The  commission,  consisting  of  Charles  King 
and  Francis  S.  Larpent,  reported  a  statement  of  facts  from 
the  testimony  of  the  prisoners,  the  sperintendent,  and  guairds, 
which  divided  the  blame  equally  between  them.*  Captain 
Shortland,  in  consequence  of  hisconduct  in  this  transaction,  was 
discharged,  and  a  person  more  acceptable  to  the  prisoners  ap- 
pointed in  his  room;  and  tranquillity  restored  for  the  few  days 
which  the  prisoners  remained  in  confinement  after  this  event. 

Proceedings  of  Massachusetts,  A  considerable  majority 
of  the  people  of  New-England  had  been  opposed  to  the  war 
from  the  beginning.  Of  the  twenty-nine  members  from  the 
New-England  states  in  the  house  of  representatives  when 
war  was  declared,  nine  only  voted  in  favour  of  the  measure, 
and  twenty  against  it.  The  votes  in  the  senate  were  two  in 
favour  and  eight  against  the  war. 

The  system  adopted  for  the  prosecution  of  the  war  was  as 
much  at  variance  with  the  public  sentiment  in  New-England,  as 
the  measure  itself.  Withdrawing  the  regular  force  from  the 
sea-board,  for  the  conquest  of  Canada,  and  leaving  the  coays 
to  be  protected  by  occasional  calls  of  the  militia,  was  univer- 
sally condemned  by  the  advocates  of  peace.  They  consider- 
ed the  attempt  to  conquer  Canada  as  unjust  in  itself,  extremely 
hazardous  and  expensive,  and  productive  of  no  solid  advan- 
tage to  the  United  States.  If  we  must  have  war,  say  they,  let  it 
be  a  war  of  protection  and  defence  on  land,  and  an  active, 
offensive  war  against  British  commerce  on  the  ocean.  The 
calamities  to  which  the  inhabitants  of  the  sea-board  had  been 
subjected,  and  the  disasters  on  the  Canadian  frontier,  they 
claimed,  fully  justified  their  views  of  the  subject.     The  dis- 


*  Report  of  the  Commissioners. 
55 


434  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  20. 

tresses  of  the  war  were  felt  with  peculiar  severity  by  the  iiv 
habitants  of  the  coast  of  Massachusetts,  and  the  neighbour- 
ing islands.  Much  of  their  soil  is  unproductive,  and  their 
principal  dependence  is  on  their  fisheries  in  the  summer,  for 
supplies  the  succeeding  winter,  which  must  be  water-borne 
from  the  markets  where  they  are  obtained.  The  British 
squadrons  on  the  coast  enthel v  obstructed  their  sea-fisheries^ 
and  in  a  great  measure  prevented  their  obtaining  theirneces- 
sary  winter  supplies.  More  than  a  hundred  flourishing  towns 
on  a  sea-board,  including  its  various  indents  of  six  hundred 
miles  in  extent,  were  exposed  to  (hat  war  of  devastation 
which  Admiral  Cochrane  had  threatened,  and  was  carrying 
into  execution  with  unremitting  severity.  Many  of  these 
towns  were  obliged  to  save  themselves  from  entire  destruc- 
tion by  heavy  ransoms. 

The  unfortunate  controversy  between  the  general  govern- 
ment and  the  New-England  state  governments,  in  relation  to 
the  constitutional  powers  of  each  over  the  mihtia,  ended  in  the 
determination  of  the  general  government  not  to  pay  or  sup- 
port any  militia,  who  were  not  called  out  by,  and  subjected 
to  the  orders  of  the  commanding  general  of  the  district,  or  by 
him  received  into  service  ;  and  in  the  deter;i  ination  of  thf  state 
governments  not  to  subject  their  militia  to  such  orders.  This 
threw  the  whole  burden  of  defending  an  extensive  coast  and 
frontier  upon  the  state  governments ;  while  they  were  obliged 
to  contribute  their  proportion  of  direct  and  indirect  taxes  to 
the  general  expenses  of  a  war  which  they  condemned.  All 
that  part  of  the  province  of  Maine  lying  eastward  of  Penob- 
scot river,  comprehending  a  large  and  valuable  tract  of  terri- 
tory and  numerous  inhabitants,  was  occupied  by  the  British, 
apparently  with  the  intention  of  making  a  permanent  estab- 
lishment. 

To  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts,  convened  in  January 
1814,  the  petitions  of  thirty-five  towns  were  presented,  stating 
in  strong  terms  the  grievances  they  siifferfd  by  the  war,  the 
embargo,  and  other  measures  of  the  general  government. 


ViW  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  4Sb 

The  committee  to  whom  these  memorials  were  referred,  after 
reciprocating  most  of  the  sentiments  they  contained,  recom- 
mended certain  resolutions,  declaring  the  embargo  laws  un- 
constitutional and  void.  The  report  concludes  with  ob- 
serving that,  as  the  well  grounded  complaints  of  the  people 
constitute  a  continued  claim  on  the  government  until  their 
grievances  are  redressed,  they  recommend  that  the  several 
memorials  be  delivered  to  the  governor,  with  a  request  that 
he  or  his  successor  would  cause  them  to  be  laid  before  the 
next  legislature.  This  report  was  accepted  by  both  houses. 
Special  Meeting  of  the  Massachusetts  Legislature,  Octoher 
1814.  A  new  election  of  all  the  branches  of  the  government 
took  place  in  the  April  following,  and  the  governor  called  a 
special  meeting  of  the  legislature  the  succeeding  October, 
In  his  address  at  the  opening  of  the  session,  he  stated, "  that 
the  war  in  which  the  country  was  involved,  had  assumed  an 
aspect  so  threatening  and  destructive,  and  at  the  same  time 
the  troops  of  the  United  States  having  been  withdrawn  to  aid 
in  the  operations  against  Canada,  he  had  found  it  necessary 
to  order  out  large  detachments  of  militia  for  the  defence  of 
the  sea-board ;  that  the  limited  sources  of  revenue,  which 
the  state  had  retained  in  its  own  power,  bore  no  proportion 
to  the  expenses  incurred  in  its  defence  ;  that  the  situation  of 
the  state  was  peculiarly  distressing.  By  the  terms  of  the 
constitution,  they  had  been  led  to  rely  on  the  government  of 
the  union  for  defence.  They  had  resigned  to  that  govern- 
ment the  revenues  of  the  state,  with  the  expectation  that  this 
object  would  not  be  neglected  ;  but  that  government  has  de- 
clared war  against  the  most  powerful  maritime  nation,  whose 
fleets  can  approach  every  section  of  our  sea-board,  to  an 
extent  of  five  or  six  hundred  miles,  without  providing  the 
means  of  defence.  Though  we  may  be  convinced  that  the 
war,  in  its  commencement, was  unnecessary  and  unjust,  and  has 
been  prosecuted  without  any  useful  or  practical  object  against 
the  inhabitants  of  Canada,  while  our  sea-coast  has  been  left 
almost  defenceless ;  though  in  a  war  thus  commenced,  we 
may  have  declined  to  afford  our  voluntary  aid  to  offensive 


436  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  20. 

operations,  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  our  right  and  our  duty  to 
defend  our  dwellings  and  possessions  against  any  hostile  at- 
tack by  which  they  are  menaced.*" 

In  a  subsequent  message,  the  governor  informed  the  legis- 
lature^ thM  '^  he  had  communicated  to  the  war-office  the  mea- 
sures taken  for  the  defence  of  the  state  ;  and  requesting  in- 
formation whether  the  expenses  of  the  militia  called  out  in 
its  defence  would  be  ultimately  borne  by  the  United  States  : 
that  he  had  received  the  secretary's  answer,  explaining  the 
views  and  principles  of  the  executive  in  regard  to  the  defence 
of  the  eastern  frontier. 

Letter  of  the  Secretary  of  State  to  Governor  Strong  re- 
lating  to  the  Militia.  "  It  was  anticipated,"  the  secretary 
remarks,  "  soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  war, 
that  while  it  lasted,  every  part  of  the  union,  especially  the 
sea-board,  would  be  exposed  to  some  degree  of  danger, 
greater  or  less,  according  to  the  spirit  with  which  the  war 
might  be  waged;  it  was  the  duty  of  the  government  to  make 
the  best  provision  against  the  danger  which  might  be  practi-" 
cable,  and  to  continue  it  as  long  as  the  cause  existed.  The 
arrangement  of  the  United  States  into  military  districts,  with  a 
certain  portion  of  the  regular  force  of  artillery  and  infantry 
under  an  officer  of  the  regular  army,  of  experience  and  high 
rank,  in  each  military  district,  with  power  to  call  for  the  mili- 
tia as  circumstances  might  require,  was  adopted  with  a  view 
to  afford  the  best  protection  to  every  part  that  circumstances 
would  admit.  It  was  presumed  that  the  establishment  of  a 
small  force  of  this  kind,  constituting  the  first  elements  of  an 
army  in  each  district,  to  be  aided  by  the  militia  in  case  of 
emergency,  would  be  adequate  to  its  defence.  Such  a  force  of 
infantry  and  artillery  might  repel  small  predatory  parties,  and 
form  a  rallying  point  for  the  mihtia,  at  the  more  exposed  and 
important  stations,  in  case  of  more  formidable  invasions.  A 
regular  officer  of  experience,  stationed  in  the  district,  acting 


*  Governor  Strong's  speech  to  the  Massachusetts  legislature.  October 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  437 

under  the  authority  and  pursuing  the  will  of  the  government, 
might  digest  plans  for  its  defence,  select  proper  points  for 
works,  and  superintend  the  erection  of  them,  call  for  supplies 
of  ordnance  and  munitions  of  war,  call  for  mihtia,  and  dis- 
pose of  the  whole  force.  These  duties,  it  was  believed,  could 
not  be  performed  with  equal  advantage  by  the  officers  of  the 
mihtia,  who,  being  called  into  service  for  short  periods,  could  not 
have  it  in  their  power,  however  well  qualified  they  might  be  in 
other  respects,  to  digest  plans  and  preserve  that  chain  of  con- 
nexion and  system  in  the  whole  business  which  seemed  to 
be  indispensable.  On  great  consideration,  this  arrangement 
was  deemed  the  most  eligible  that  could  be  adopted  ;  indeed 
none  occurred  that  could  be  put  in  competition  with  it.  In 
this  mode  the  national  government  acts  by  its  proper  organs, 
over  whom  it  has  control,  and  for  whose  engagements  it  is 
reponsible. 

''  The  measures  which  may  be  adopted  by  a  state  govern- 
ment for  its  defence,  must  be  considered  its  own  measures, 
not  those  of  the   United  States.     The  expenses   attending 
them  are  chargeable  to  the  state  and  not  to  the  United  States. 
A  different  construction  would  lead   to  the  most  pernicious 
consequences.     If  a  state  could  call  out  its  militia,  and  sub- 
ject the  United  States  to  the  expense  of  supporting  them,  at 
its    pleasure ;    the    national   authority  would  cease    as  to 
that  important  object,  and  the  nation  be  charged  with  ex- 
penses, in  the  measures  producing  which  the  national  govern- 
ment had  no  agency,  and  over  which  it  could  have  no  con- 
trol*    By  taking  the  defence  of  the  state  into  its  own  hands, 
and  out  of  those  of  the  general  government,  a  policy  is  intro- 
duced, on  the  tendency  of  which  all  comment  is  unnecessary. 
If  a  close  union  of  the  states,  and  a  harmonious  co-operation 
between  them  and  the  general  government,  are  at  any  time 
necessary  for  the  preservation  of  their  independence,  and 
their  inestimable  liberties,  which  were  achieved  by  the  blood 
and  valour  of  their  ancestors,  that  time  has  now  arrived. 
From  this  view  of  the  subject,  it  follows,  that  if  the  force 


438  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  SO. 

which  has  been  put  into  service  by  the  executive  of  Massa- 
chusetts has  been  required  by  General  Dearborn,  the  com- 
manding officer  of  the  district,  or  has  been  received  by  him, 
and  put  under  his  command,  the  expenses  will  be  defrayed  by 
the  United  States.  But  if  this  force  has  been  called  into 
service  by  authority  of  the  state,  independently  of  General 
Dearborn,  and  not  placed  under  him  as  commander  of  the 
district,  the  state  of  Massachusetts  is  chargeable  with  the  ex- 
pense, and  not  the  United  States.  The  general  government 
has  no  other  alternative  but  to  adhere  to  a  system  of  defence 
adopted  on  great  consideration  with  the  best  view  to  the 
general  welfare,  or  to  abandon  it,  and  with  it  a  principle  held 
sacred,  thereby  shrinking  from  its  duty  in  a  moment  of  great 
peril,  weakening  the  guards  deemed  necessary  for  the  public 
safety,  and  opening  the  door  to  other  consequences  no  less 
dangerous.''* 

Report  of  the  Committee  of  Massachusetts  Legislature.  In 
the  house  of  representatives  the  governor's  message  and  ac- 
companymg  documents  were  referred  to  a  select  committee, 
w^ho  reported,  that  "  the  unhappy  and  ruinous  war  declared 
against  Great  Britain,  has  assumed  an  aspect  of  great  and  im- 
mediate danger  to  the  commonwealth.  The  persevering  in- 
vasion of  Canada,  has  at  length  produced,  as  a  natural  con- 
sequence, the  invasion  of  our  Atlantic  frontier  and  river 
towns.  A  portion  of  the  territory  of  this  state  is  already  in 
the  actual  occupation  of  the  enemy,  and  the  sea-coast  in  all 
such  ports  as  may  be  deemed  assailable  is  openly  menaced 
with  desolation.  To  defend  our  soil  and  repel  the  invader, 
no  force  or  means,  bearing  any  proportion  to  the  emergency, 
have  been  provided  by  the  national  government.  It  was  just- 
ly to  have  been  expected  that  before  hostilities  were  pro- 
voked by  a  formidable  enemy,  or  that  at  least  at  some  pericd 
subsequent  to  their  commencement,   means  of  defence  and 


Letter  of  secretary  of  state  to  Governor  Strong^. 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  439 

protection  would  have  been  afforded  to  a  sea-coast,  so  ex- 
tended and  so  exposed  to  the  ravages  of  an  enemy  as  that  of 
Massachusetts.    But  events  forbid  a  reliance  on  such  expecta- 
tions.  The  principal  part  of  the  regular  force,  raised,  or  at  any 
time  quartered  in  this  state,  has  been  withdrawn  to  the  war  on  the 
Canada  border.     The  fortifications,  until  lately  strengthened 
by  the  exertions  of  our  own  citizens,  were  essentially  defective, 
and  the  navy  in  a  situation  calculated  to  invite  rather  than 
repel  aggression,  and  to  require  protection  instead  of  afford- 
ing it.     Indeed,  when  the  circumstancesunder  which  the  war 
was  declared  and  has  been  prosecuted  are  reviewed,  in  con- 
nexion with  the  utter  neglect  of  the  ordinary  preparation  for 
such  a  state,  the  inference  is  fairly  warranted  that  the  American 
cabinet  intended  no  other  means  of  defence  for  this  state,  but 
such  as  a  brave  and  free  people  would  feel  themselves  impel- 
led to  make  by  their  own  sense  of  danger  and  love  of  country. 
That  it  rehed  upon  the  passions  and  sufferings  incident  to  a 
state  of  war,  to  overcome  the  repugnance  so  universally  felt 
by  our  citizens  to  the   unjust  and  ruinious  contest,  and  to 
leave  them  at  liberty  to  drain  our  population  and  our  trea- 
sures, for  the  prosecution  of  their  favourite  enterprise.     But 
when  the  commonwealth  was  found  to  be  in  danger  of  inva- 
sion, the  people  have  not  paused  to  consider  the  motives  and 
objects  of  their  national  rulers  in  leaving  them  defenceless  ; 
but,  at  the  summons  of  their  governor,  they  have  repaired  te 
the  standard  of  their  country,  with  a  zeal  and  alacrity  which 
demonstrate,  that  the  principles  which  unite  men  of  every 
class  and  description  in  the  determination  to  conquer  or  die 
in  its  defence,  are  not  enfeebled  by  party  distinctions.     But 
one  spirit  animates  the  whole  mass  of  our  citizens  with  the  in- 
vincible resolution  of  defending  their  native  land  against  the  in- 
vasions of  an  enemy,  who  has  not  discriminated  between  those 
who  anxiously  sought  peace,  and  those  who  wantonly  pro- 
voked the  war.     It  is,  however,  a  fact  not  to  be  disguised, 
that  while  the  people  of  this  state,  with  the  blessing  of  heaven, 
have  confidence  in  the  sufficiency  of  their  resources,  for  de- 


440  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2^. 

fending  their  own  soil,  if  applied  exclusively  to  this  object, 
yet  they  cannot  be  supposed  equal  to  this,  and  also  compe- 
tent  to  respond  to  the  heavy  and  increasing  demands  of  the 
national  government.     The  state  of  the  national  treasury,  as 
exhibited  by  the  proper  officer,  requires  an  augmentation  of 
existing  taxes  ;  and  if,  in  addition  to  these,  the  people  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, deprived  of  their  commerce  and  harassed  by  a 
formidable  enemy,  are  compelled  to  provide  for  the  idispen- 
sable  duty  of  self-defence,  it  must  soon  become  impossible  for 
them  to  sustain  this  burden.     There  remains  for  them,  there- 
fore,  no  alternative,  but  submission  to  the  enemy,  or  the  con- 
trol of  their  own  resources  to  repel  aggressions.   It  is  impossi- 
ble to  hesitate  in  making  the  election.     This  people  are  not 
ready  for  conquest  or  submission.     But  being  ready  and  de- 
termined to  defend  themselves,  and  having  no  other  adequate 
means  of  defence,  they  have  the  greatest  need  of  those  re- 
sources derivable  from  themselves,  which  the  national  gov- 
ernment has  hitherto  thought  proper  to  employ  elsewhere. 
This  disastrous  condition  of  public   affairs  has  been  forced 
upon  Massachusetts,  not  merely  against  her  consent,  but  in 
opposition  to  her  most  earnest  protestations.     From  the  mo- 
ment that  the  administration,  yielding  to  its  own  passions,  and 
calculations  of  party  power,  commenced  its  system  of  com- 
mercial hostility  to  Great  Britain,  and  of  conformity  to  the 
views  of  the  late  tyrant  of  France,  its  tendency  to  involve  the 
nation  in  the  most  needless  and  cruel  embarrassments  was 
distinctly  foreseen,  and  declared  by  former  legislatures.     It 
was  never  doubted  but  that  a  war  with  Great  Britain  would 
be  accompanied  wkh  an  extinction  of  commerce,  by  the 
banishment  of  our  sailors,  the  desolation  of  our  coast,  the 
blockade  and  invasion  of  our  sea-porls,  the  failure  of  national 
credit,  the  necessity  of  oppressive  taxes,  and  the  consumma- 
tion of  national  ruin  by  an  alliance  with  the  late  despot  of 
Europe,  from  which  greatest  of  all  calamities  we  have  been 
preserved  only  by  his  fall.     Of  all  these  evils  were    our 
riAlers  forewarned  by  Massachusetts,  whose  vital  interests 


1514.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.       *         '  44I 

were  thus  put  in  jeopardy,  and  they  were  implored  by  every 
consideration  of  policy  and  humanity,  to  slay  their  hands 
from  the  cruel  and  wanton  sacrifice  of  the  interests  of  those 
who  asked  from  them  nothing  but  the  privilege  of  pursuing 
their  own  industrious  callings.  But  government,  deaf  to  this 
voice,  and  listening  to  men  distinguished  in  their  native  state 
only  by  their  disloyalty  to  its  interests,  have  affected  to  con- 
sider the  patriotic  citizens  of  this  great  state,  as  tainted  with 
disaffection  to  the  union,  and  predilection  for  Great  Britain, 
and  have  lavished  the  public  treasury  in  vain  attempts  to 
4ix  by  evidence  this  odious  imputation.  Thus  dishonoured, 
and  deprived  of  all  influence  in  the  national  councils,  this 
state  has  been  dragged  into  an  unnatural  and  distressing  war, 
and  its  safety  and  liberties  endangered." 

The  committee  declare  their  conviction  that  "the  constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States,  under  the  administration  of  the 
persons  in  power,  has  failed  to  secure  to  the  commonwealth 
of  Massachusetts,  and  to  the  eastern  section  ol  the  union, 
those  equal  rights  and  benefits,  which  were  the  great  objects 
of  its  formation.  These  grievances  justify  and  require  vigo- 
rous, persevering,  and  peaceable  exertions,  to  unite  those  who 
realize  the  sufferings,  and  foresee  the  dangers  of  the  country, 
m  some  system  of  measures  to  obtain  relief,  for  which  the 
ordinary  mode  of  procuring  amendments  to  the  constitution 
affords  no  reasonable  expectation  in  season  to  prevent  the 
completion  of  its  ruin.  The  people,  however,  possess  the 
means  of  certain  redress,  and  when  their  safety,  which  is  the 
supreme  law,  is  in  question,  these  means  should  be  promptly 
applied.  The  framers  of  the  constitution  made  provision  to 
amend  defects  which  were  known  to  be  incidental  to  every 
human  institution,  and  the  provision  itself  was  not  less  liable 
to  be  found  defective,  than  other  parts  of  the  instrument. 
When  this  deficiency  becomes  apparent,  no  reason  can  pre- 
clude the  right  of  the  whole  people,  who  were  parties  to  it, 
to  adopt  another,  and  it  is  presumed,  that  a  spirit  of  equity 
and  justice,  enlightened  by  experience,  would  enable  ttejoa 

5Q 


442  HISTOBY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chj^.  20- 

to  reconcile  conflicting  interests,  and  obviate  the  principal 
cause  of  these  dissentions,  which  unfit  government  for  a  state 
of  peace  and  of  war,  and  so  to  amend  the  constitution  as  to 
give  vigour  and  duration  to  the  union  of  the  states.  But  as 
a  proposition  for  such  a  convention  from  a  single  state  would 
probably  be  unsuccessful,  and  our  danger  admits  not  of  de- 
lay, the  committee  recommend  that  in  the  first  instance  a 
conference  be  invited  between  those  states,  the  affinity  of 
whose  interests  is  the  closest,  and  whose  habits  of  intercourse 
from  their  local  situation  or  other  causes  are  the  most  fre- 
quent, to  the  end  that  by  a  comparison  of  their  sentiments 
and  views,  some  mode  of  defence  suited  to  the  circumstances 
and  exigencies  of  those  states,  and  measures  for  accelerating 
the  return  of  prosperity,  may  be  devised  ;  and  also  to  enable 
the  delegates  from  those  states,  should  they  deem  it  expedi- 
ent, to  lay  the  foundation  for  a  radical  reform  in  the  national 
compact  by  inviting  to  a  future  convention,  a  deputation  from 
all  the  states  in  the  union."  The  report  concludes  with  re- 
commending the  raising  of  an  army  of  ten  thousand  men  for 
the  defence  of  the  state ;  and  the  appointment  of  twelve 
persons,  as  delegates  from  the  legislature,  to  meet  and  confer 
with  delegates  from  the  states  of  New-England,  or  any  of 
them,  upon  the  subjects  of  their  public  grievances,  and  con- 
cerns, and  upon  the  best  means  of  preserving  our  resources, 
and  defence  against  the  enemy ;  and  to  devise  and  suggest 
for  the  adoption  by  those  respective  states,  such  measures  as 
they  may  deem  expedient,  and  also  to  take  measures,  if  they 
shall  th'mk  proper  for  procuring  a  convention  of  delegates 
from  all  the  United  States,  in  order  to  revise  the  constitution 
thereof;  and  more  effectually  to  secure  the  support  and  at- 
tachment of  all  the  people,  by  placing  all  upon  the  basis  of  a 
fair  representation.* 

*  Report  of  Committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  Massa- 
chusetts, October  1814. 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  443 

A  committee  of  the  senate  upon  the  same  subject  made  a 
report  to  that  body  upon  the  same  principles.  The  resolu- 
tions recommended  by  the  committee  of  the  house  of  repre- 
sentatives passed  both  houses,  and  delegates  were  appointed 
to  meet  at  Hartford  on  the  15th  day  of  the  following  Decem- 
ber, to  confer  with  such  as  may  be  chosen  by  any  or  all  of 
the  other  New-England  states  upon  the  subjects  referred  to 
in  the  resolutions. 

Protest  of  Minority.  These  proceedings  of  the  legislature 
were  opposed  in  every  stage  of  them  by  a  respectable  mi- 
nority of  both  houses.  In  the  senate  a  protest  was  drawn 
up  and  signed  by  thirteen  members,  and  placed  on  their  jour- 
nals, stating,  that  "  these  propositions  are  at  this  time  extra- 
ordinary, alarming,  and  pernicious.  The  protestants  belieV^e 
the  constitution  of  the  United  States  to  be  the  most  perfect 
system  of  republican  government  which  human  wisdom 
could  invent,  estabhshed  upon  the  broad  principles  of  sove- 
reignty in  the  states,  liberty  in  the  people,  and  energy  in  the 
federal  head,  and  effected  by  the  zeal,  concessions,  and  can- 
dour of  those  enlightened  patriots,  who  had  carried  America 
through  a  war  of  unparalleled  suffering  to  independence  and 
peace.  They  had  hoped  that  neither  the  ambition  of  party, 
nor  the  test  of  experiment,  would  have  so  soon  led  to  the  con- 
clusion, "  that  it  had  failed  to  secure  to  any  section  of  tl^e 
imion,  those  equal  rights  and  benefits  which  were  the  great  ob- 
jects of  its  formation.'^'*  Much  less  was  it  to  be  supposed, 
that  under  the  pretext  of  reconciling  conflicting  interests,  in  a 
lime  of  war  and  inv^asion,  and  when  our  constitutional  agents 
were  attempting  to  negotiate  a  peace,  we  should  promulgate 
the  sentiments  to  our  friends  and  our  enemies,  that  the  gov- 
ernment was  unfit  for  peace  or  war ;  that  a  radical  reform, 
or  another  constitution,  was  essential  to  the  salvation  of  the 
people. 

There  are  other  objects,  they  further  remark,  more  alarm- 
ing in  their  nature,  and  more  pernicious  in  their  tendency*  It 
w^^  wisely  provided  by  the  constitution,  that  no  state  should 


4^4  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  20. 

enter  into  any  compactor  agreement  with  another  without  the 
consent  of  congress.     It  was  probably  foreseen  that  disap- 
pointed and  ambitioiis  men  would  attempt  to  form  associations 
prejudicial  to  the  general  welfare,  and  dangerous  to  the  union 
of  the  states.     That  these  men  would  excite  local  jealousies, 
and  attempt  geographical  distinctions  ;  and  that  despairing  of 
gaining  the  whole,  they  would  attempt  a  severance  that  they 
might  govern  a  part.     It  was  therefore  prudent  and  proper 
that  these  compacts  should  be  under  the  control  of  the  states 
and  people  represented  in  congress.     It  is  therefore  with 
great  solicitude  and  concern  that  we  are  led  to  inquire,  what 
public  grievances  can  warrant  the  assembhng  of  delegates 
o^f  the  states  of  New-England,  or  what  affinity  of  interest  can 
authorize  them  to  devise  means  of  preserving  their  own  re- 
s-ourccs  to  themselves  ?     The  respective  states  of  New-Eng- 
land can  now  preserve  all  their  resources,  except  such  as  are 
under  the  constitutional  control  of  the  United  States.     Will 
they  combine  to  take  these  ?     Such  a  combination  would  be 
a  resistance  of  federal  authority.     A  civil  war  would  become 
inevitable.     The   enemy  would  profit    by  our   dissentions  : 
our  union  would  be  dissolved,   our  country  conquered,  and 
our  liberty  extinguished.     Our  country  is  now  engaged  in  a 
just,  and  of  late  a  successful  war.     Our  resources  abundant, 
our  government  adequate,  and  our  citizens  brave,  enterprising, 
and  intelligent ;  union  alone  can  secure  us  the  blessings  of 
an  honourable  peace.     While  our  commissioners  are  nego- 
tiating with  the  most  earnest  solicitude  for  their  country's 
welfare  ;  while  our  army  and  navy  are  defending  the  soil,  and 
maintaining  the  honour  and  glory  of  the  country,  and  our 
brave  yeomanry  are  rushing  to  our  shores  to  meet  and  repel 
the  invader,  and  the  spirit  of  party  is  becoming  absorbed  in 
the  spirit  of  patriotism ;  w  hy  should  Massachusetts,  great, 
powerful,  and  respectable  as  she   is,  form  a  combination, 
which  will  defeat  the  hopes  of  the  friends  of  peace,  and  en- 
tourage a  powerful  and  vindictive  enemy  ?     With  these  views 
9^^  feelings,  ijikQ  renjpnstrant?  ^aiw^t  but  qieQply  regret  that 


1814.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAK.  44^ 

a  proposition,  so  unpromising  of  good,  destitute  of  important 
ostensible  objects,  but  full  of  distrust,  jealousy,  and  mischief, 
and  calculated  to  alarm,  discourage,  and  divide  the  people, 
should  ever  have  been  adopted  by  the  senate  of  Massachu- 
setts. Suspicions  have  been  indulged  that  Massachusetts 
would  take  the  lead  of  the  New-England  states  in  a  combi- 
nation to  dissolve  the  union;  that  as  a  prehminary  step,  a 
course  similar  to  that  contemplated  by  these  resolutions 
would  be  adopted,  and  that  a  period  of  war  would  be  select- 
ed for  the  purpose.  By  the  adoption  of  these  resolutions, 
these  suspicions  will  grow  into  a  settled  beUef.  The  raising 
an  army  of  ten  thousand  men,  at  the  expense  and  under  the 
command  of  the  state,  will  have  little  tendency  to  diminish 
this  alarm.  However  honourable  and  patriotic  the  motives 
may  be  for  raising  such  an  army,  and  refusing  to  place  them 
under  the  orders  and  pay  of  the  general  government,  we  have 
strong  apprehensions  that  the  people  of  this  commonwealth 
will  have  too  much  reason  to  believe  that  the  honour  to  com- 
mand will  not  compensate  for  the  burthen  of  support ;  that 
a  separate  army  comports  too  well  with  a  separate  sove- 
reignty, and  that  these  men  may  at  some  future  period  bo 
employed  to  settle  domestic  quarrels,  or  enforce  local  inter- 
ests. 

From  the  resolutions  and  preamble,  and  circumstances 
attending  the  debate,  we  have  strong  reasons  to  apprehend, 
that  propositions  for  a  separate  peace  may  grow  out  of  a 
meeting  of  delegates  from  the  New-England  states.  Should 
such  propositions  be  made  by  the  British  government  to  the 
convention,  and  the  terms,  as  they  probably  would  be,  very 
flattering  to  this  section  of  the  union,  the  temptation  to  mo- 
mentary gain,  might  induce  a  compact  with  the  enemy,  in- 
troduce an  army  of  foreign  mercenaries,  produce  a  civil  war, 
and  end  in  a  subjugation  of  both  sections  to  the  power  of 
Great  Britain.  Ambition  has  destroyed  every  other  republic 
on  earth.  The  United  States  stand  alone,  like  a  solitary 
rock  in  the  midst  of  the  ocean,  surrounded  and  assailed  by 


44(>  HISl^ORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  HO, 

vStorms  and  tempests ;  in  vain  may  we  look  for  aid,  except 
from  union,  energy,  and  heaven.* 

A  protest,  containing  similar  sentiments,  was  drawn  up,  and 
signed  by  seventy-six  members,  and  presented  to  the  house 
of  representatives,  with  a  request  that  it  might  be  placed  on 
the  journals  of  that  body  ;  from  some  expressions  which  were 
deemed  disrespectful  to  the  legislature,  it  was  refused  a  place 
on  the  journals,  and  published  only  in  the  periodical  papers 
of  the  day. 

Proceedings  of  the  other  J^i",  E.  States.  These  proceedings 
of  the  Massachusetts  legislature  were  transmitted  to  the  four 
other  New-England  states,  requesting  their  concurrence  in 
the  measure.  The  sentiments  of  the  bodies  to  whom  they 
were  addressed,  were  not  in  full  accordance  with  those  of 
Massachusetts.  No  one  doubted  the  right,  secured  to  the 
people  by  the  constitution,  peaceably  to  assemble  and  apply 
to  the  government  for  the  redress  of  their  grievances.  Few 
of  the  citizens  of  this  section  of  the  union  doubted  the  fact, 
that  the  war,  in  the  course  it  had  taken,  bore  with  peculiar 
weight  upon  Massachusetts  and  the  other  New-England 
states.  But  the  measure  of  calling  a  convention  at  the  time 
and  for  the  purposes  expressed  in  those  resolutions  was 
highly  inexpedient.  One  principal  feature  presented  by 
them,  was  a  proposition  for  a  meeting  of  delegates  from  the 
New-England  states,  to  confer  upon  the  best  means  of  pre- 
serving and  controlling  their  resources.  It  was  obvious  that 
a  refusal  on  the  part  of  the  states,  to  permit  the  collection  of 
the  public  revenue,  must  be  met  by  the  general  government 
with  a  force  adequate  to  ensure  a  collection  ;  and  that  the 
result  must  be  an  abandonment  of  the  measure  on  the  part 
of  the  states,  a  dissolution  of  the  union,  or  a  civil  war. 

The  other  important  object  contemplated  by  the  resolu- 
tions, was  a  radical  change  in  the  national  constitution,  or  the 


*  Protest  of  the  minority  of  the  senate  of  Massachusetts,  Octobej- 
1R14. 


1»14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  44T 

formation  of  a  new  one,  to  be  eflected  by  a  convention  of  all 
the  states.  The  present  form  of  government  had  been  in 
operation  twenty-five  years,  twelve  of  which  it  had  been  ad- 
ministered by  one  of  the  great  poHtical  parties  into  which 
the  United  States  were  divided,  and  thirteen  by  the  other ; 
and  both  in  turn  had  declared  it  to  be  the  perfection  of  hu- 
man wisdom.  No  such  radical  change  appeared  either  de- 
sirable or  practicable.  If  any  amendments  were  deemed 
necessary,  the  constitution  itself  provided  a  mode  by  which 
they  could  be  obtained,  very  different  from  the  one  proposed 
by  the  resolutions.  But  if  alterations  were  wanted  in  one 
way  or  the  other,  the  time  appeared  peculiarly  inauspicious. 
With  an  enemy  at  their  doors,  ready  to  profit  by  their  dissen* 
tions,  and  the  spirit  of  party  in  a  state  of  high  fermentation, 
the  people  of  the  United  States  were  illy  qualified  calmly  to 
deliberate  upon,  and  adopt  radical  changes  in  their  frame  of 
government.  Intelligence  had  just  then  been  received  from 
their  negotiators  for  peace,  that  the  British  claimed,  as  a  pre- 
liminary, a  cession  of  a  large  portion  of  the  state  of  Ohio, 
and  of  the  western  territories  to  the  Indians  as  a  permanent 
barrier,  between  the  American  settlements  and  the  Canadas, 
and  that  they  advanced  other  claims  which  could  be  addressed 
only  to  a  conquered  nation.  The  necessity  of  united  exer- 
tions was  universally  felt,  and  it  was  a  subject  of  deep  regret 
that  any  measures  should  be  put  in  operation,  presenting  an 
aspect  of  a  divided  people,  and  thereby  giving  encourage- 
ment to  the  extravagant  claims  of  the  enemy. 

Vermont.  The  legislature  of  Vermont  declined  taking  any 
measures  upon  the  subject. 

J^ew' Hampshire,  The  executive  council  of  New-Hamp- 
shire refused  to  call  a  meeting  of  the  legislature  upon  the  oc- 
casion, and  of  course  no  delegates  were  appointed  from  that 
state. 

Connecticut.  In  Connecticut  the  resolutions  and  accom- 
panying documents  were  refeiTed  to  a  joint  committee  of  both 
branches  of  the  legislature,  who  made  a  report  reciprocating 


448  HISTORY  OF    TtiE  LATE  WAR;  Chap  20. 

many  of  the  sentiments  contained  in  the  resolutions ;  but  the 
cautious  and  prudent  poHcy  of  that  state  led  them  to  meet 
their  brethren  of  Massachusetts  upon  constitutional  grounds 
only.  The  committee  observe  that  the  documents  transmit- 
ted from  Massachusetts,  present  an  ehgible  mode  of  com- 
bining the  wisdom  of  New-England,  in  devising,  on  full  con- 
sultation, a  proper  course  to  be  adopted  consistent  with  our 
obhgations  to  the  United  States,  and  recommend  that  seven 
persons  be  appointed  delegates  from  this  state,  to  meet  the 
delegates  from  Massachusetts,  and  of  any  other  of  the  New- 
England  States,  at  Hartford,  on  the  15th  of  the  following 
December,  and  to  confer  with  them  on  the  subjects  proposed 
by  the  resolutions  of  the  legislature  of  that  commonwealth, 
and  upon  any  other  subjects  that  may  come  before  them,  for 
the  purpose  of  devising  and  recommending  measures  for  the 
safety  and  welfare  of  these  states ;  provided  that  such  mea- 
sures only  shall  be  devised  and  recommended,  as  may  con- 
sist with  their  obligations  as  members  of  the  union.* 

Rhode-Island,  The  legislature  of  Rhode-Island  had  pre- 
viously passed  resolutions,  authorizing  and  requesting  their 
captain  general,  in  case  of  the  invasion  of  the  neighbouring 
states,  to  march  immediately  to  their  assistance,  such  part  of 
the  mihtary  force  as  he  should  think  expedient;  and  to  assure 
I  he  executives  of  the  neighbouring  states  of  the  readiness  of 
the  state  of  Rhode-Island  to  render  them  all  the  aid  in  their 
power  in  case  of  invasion,  or  imminent  danger  thereof, 
and  to  solicit  their  co-operation,  and  speedy  aid  and  assist- 
ance to  the  state  of  Rhode-Island  under  similar  circumstances. 
Communications,  in  pursuance  of  these  resolutions,  had  been 
made  by  Governor  Jones  to  the  executives  of  Massachusetts 
and  Connecticut,  and  cordially  reciprocated.  The  same 
controversy  subsisted  between  the  government  of  the  state  of 
Rhode-Island  and  the  general  government,  in  relation  to  the 


"^  Report  of  the  coramittee  of  the  leg-islature  of  Connecticut  on  the 
Ma8sachw?!etts  resolution?-. 


Igl4.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  4M 

militia,  as  in  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut,  and  with  the 
same  result.     Rhode-Island  had  been  left  to  provide  for  her 
own  defence.     The  safe  and  convenient  harbour  of  New- 
port, and  the  rich  towns  accessible  by  waier,  presented  very 
tempting  objects  to  the  cupidity  of  the  enemy.     From  the 
smallness  of  its  size,  that  state  was  the  least  able  to  raise  a 
force  sufficient  to  repel  an  invader.     They  were  from  these 
circumstances  the  more  ready  to  listen  to  any  measure  that 
promised  them  aid  from  other  states.     A  joint  letter  from  the 
president  of  the  senate,  and  speaker  of  the  house  of  repre- 
sentatives of  Massachusetts,  covering  their  resolutions  on  the 
subject  of  the  convention,  was  addressed  to  the  governor  of 
Rhode-Island,  with  a  request  to  lay  the  same  before  the  legis- 
lature, inviting  them  to  appoint  delegates  to  the  proposed 
convention,  stating  their  objects  to  be  to  deliberate  on  the 
dangers  to  which  the  eastern  section  of  the  union  is  exposed 
by  the  course  of  the  war,  and  which  there  is  too  much  reason 
to  believe  will  thicken  round  them  in  its  progress ;  and  to 
devise,  if  practicable,  measures  of  safety  and  defence,  which 
may  be  consistent  with  the  preservation  of  their  resources 
from  total  ruin,  and  adapted  to  their  local  situation,  mutual 
relations,  and  habits,  and  not  repugnant  to  their  obligations 
as  members  of  the  union.     The  letter  further  remarks,  that 
when  convened  for  this  object,  which  admits  not  of  delay,  it 
seems  also  expedient  to  submit  to  their  consideration,  the  in- 
quiry whether  the  interests  of  these  states  do  not  demand 
that  persevering  endeavours  be  used  by  each  to  procure  such 
amendments  to  be  effected  in  the  national  constitution  as  may 
secure  to  them  equal  advantages,  and  whether  if  in  their  judg- 
ment they  should  be  deemed  impracticable  under  the  existing 
provisions  for  amending  that  instrument,  an  experiment  inay 
be  made  without  disadvantage  to  the  nation  for  obtaining  a 
convention  from  all  the  states  in  the  union,  or  such  of  them 

57 


45W  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATK  WAR.  Chap.  '20i 

as  may  approve  of  the  measarc  with  a  view  to  obtain  such 
amendments.* 

The  committee  of  the  legislature,  to  whom  the  subject  was 
referred,  state  in  forcible  terms  the  exposed  situation  of  our 
country,  complain  that  the  means  of  defence  have  been  with- 
held from  them,  and  appropriated  to  distant  and  unpropitious 
services,  and  that  the  whole  United  States  military  force-, 
stores,  and  property  in  that  state,  did  but  serve  to  increase 
their  danger  by  offering  a  temptation  to  the  enemy.  Placed 
in  this  situation,  the  legislature  at  their  last  session  had  re- 
quested the  governor  to  communicate  with  the  executives  of 
the  neighbouring  states  upon  the  subject  of  common  defencCv 
offering  and  requesting  mutual  assistance  in  case  of  danger. 
"  These  states,"  the  committee  remark^  "  had  reciprocated 
their  proffers  of  mutual  assistance,  and  invited  us  to  appoirtt 
delegates  to  meet  those  appointed  by  them,  to  confer  upon 
our  defenceless  and.  calamitous  situation,  and  to  devise  and 
recommend  prudent  measures  for  our  relief.  They  there- 
fore recommend  a  resolution  to  aj^point  four  delegates  to 
meet  in  the  proposed  convention,  to  confer  upon  the  common 
dangers  to  which  these  states  are  exposed,  upon  the  best 
measures  for  co-operating  for  our  mutual  defence  against  the 
enemy,  and  upon  the  measures  which  it  "may  be  in  the  power 
of  these  states,  consistenlly  with  their  obligations  to  the  United 
States,  to  adopt,  to  restore  and  secure  to  the  people  thereof, 
their  rights  and  privileges  under  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States."  The  report  was  accepted  and  the  resolution  adopl- 
^'d.     Ayes  thirty-nine,  noes  twenty-three.t 

Meeting  of  the  .iSfezv -England  Contention  at  Hartford,  The 
delegates  from  Massachusetts,  Rhode-Island,  and  Gonnecti- 
cut,  met   at   Hartford   on  the  15th  day  of  December,  1814-. 


*  Letter  from  the  president  of  the  senate  and  speaker  of  the  house  of 
representatives  of  Massachusetts  to  Governor  Jones. 

t  Report  of  the  committee  of  the  leg-islature  of  Rhode-Island  on  the 
MnsBtichusetts  resolutions. 


1814,  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  451 

Two  gentlemen  from  the  counties  of  Grafton  and  Cheshire  in 
the  state  of  New-Hampshire,  and  one  from  the  county  of 
Windham  in  the  state  of  Vermont,  appointed  by  county  con- 
ventions, appeared  and  and  were  received  as  members.  The 
meeting  of  this  body  was  viewed  with  much  anxiety  both  by 
its  friends  and  its  enemies.  The  former  looked  up  to  it  as  a 
power  which  was  to  relieve  them  from  the  pressures  and  em- 
barrassments under  which  they  laboured  in  consequence  of 
the  war,  and  to  save  them  from  the  calamities  with  which 
they  were  threatened  ;  the  other  denounced  it  as  seditious  and 
treasonable,  as  calculated  to  favour  the  designs  of  the  enemy, 
to  embarrass  the  pending  negotiations, .protract  the  war,  and 
increase  it«  calamities.  The  members  of  the  convention,  on 
examining  their  powers,  found  they  were  neither  able  to  gra- 
tify the  wishes  of  their  friends,  nor  could  they  afford  any 
reasonable  ground  for  the  apprehensions  of  their  enemies. 
They  were  merely  an  advisory  body,  and  restricted  even  in 
that,  to  give  no  advice  inconsistent  with  the  duties  of  their 
constituents  to  the  general  government.  Had  they  been  dis- 
posed to  recommend  a  negotiation  for  a  separate  peace,  or  a 
neutrality  on  the  part  of  the  New-England  States  ;  or  for  those 
states  to  withhold  their  resources,  and  refuse  to  pay  their  pro- 
portion of  the  public  revenue  ;  or  to  form  a  compact  between 
these  states  for  mutual  defence,  without  the  consent  of 
Congress  ;  or  a  division  of  the  union ;  they  had  no  such 
powers.  Neither  their  friends  nor  their  enemies  had  any 
reasonable  grounds  for  such  apprehensions.  Were  they 
disposed  to  censure  the  administration  for  the  commence- 
ment, continuance,  or  manner  of  conducting  the  war, 
abundance  of  matter  of  this  kind  was  to  be  found  in  the  vari- 
ous volumes  of  newspapers  from  the  commencement  of  the 
war  to  the  period  of  their  session,  and  in  such  varieties  that  it 
would  be  difficult  to  add  a  new  paragraph.  What  then  were 
the  convention  to  do  ?  For  a  respectable  delegation,  compo- 
sing an  eUte  corps  of  an  important  section  of  the  union,  to 
meet  at  an  interesting  crisis,  on  affairs  of  state,  and  do  nothing, 
would  be  highly  undignified,  and  disappoint  the  expectation? 


A52  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  Qi'f 

of  all.  Called  together  for  no  very  definite  object,  their  first 
inquiry  was,  what  would  be  the  proper  subjects  for  their  con- 
sideration ? 

Proceedings.  The  duty  of  solving  this  question,  they  assigned 
to  a  committee  of  five  of  their  number  on  the  first  day  of  their 
session,  who,  on  the  second,  reported  that  it  was  proper  for 
them  to  deliberate  on — 

1st.  The  powers  claimed  by  the  executive  of  tJ?e 
United  States,  to  determine  conclusively  in  respect  to  call- 
ing out  the  militia  of  the  states  into  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  and  the  dividing  the  United  States  into  mihtary  dis- 
tricts, with  an  officer  of  the  army  in  each  thereof,  with 
discretionary  authority  from  the  executive  of  the  United 
States,  to  call  for  the  militia  to  be  under  the  command  of  such 
officer^ 

2d.  The  refusal  of  the  executive  of  the  United  States  to 
supply  or  pay  the  militia  of  certain  states  called  out  for  their 
defence,  on  the  grounds  of  their  not  having  been  called  out 
tmder  the  authority  of  the  United  States,  or  not  having  been 
by  the  executive  of  the  state  put  under  the  command  of  the 
commander  of  the  military  district,  and  the  failure  of  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  to  supply  and  pay  the  militia  of 
the  states,  by  them  admitted  to  have  been  in  the  United  States 
service. 

3d.  The  report  of  the  secretary  at  war  to  congress,  on  fill* 
ing  the  ranks  of  the  army,  together  with  a  bill  or  act  upon 
that  subject. 

4th.  A  bill  before  congress  providing  for  the  classing  and 
drafting  the  militia. 

5th.  The  expenditure  of  the  revenue  of  the  nation  in  oflfen- 
sive  operations  on  the  neighbouring  provinces  of  the  enemy. 

6th.  The  failure  of  the  government  of  the  United  States  to 
provide  for  the  common  defence,  and  the  consequent  obliga- 
tions, necessity,  and  burden,  devolved  on  the  separate  states 
to  defend  themselves,  together  with  the  mode,  ways,  and 
means,  in  their  power  for  accomplishing  the  object. 


iai4.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  4ii^ 

The  convention  continued  their  daily  dehberation  upon 
these  subjeets  with  closed  doors,  from  the  15th  of  December 
to  the  5th  of  the  following  January  :*  the  sentiments  of  par- 
ticular members  dn  the  various  subjects  of  their  deliberation 
haVe  not  been  preserved  or  published  5  and  are  to  be  learned 
only  from  their  report  and  recommendations  published  at  the 
close  of  the  session,  and  the  journal  of  their  daily  proceedings 
lodged  in  the  office  of  the  secretary  of  the  state  of  Massachu- 
isetts,  and  since  published.     On  the  great  leading  point  pro- 
posed by  the   Massachusetts  resolutions,  "  withholding  the 
public  revenue,  and  appropriating  it  to  their  own  defence, "^^  the 
convention  decided  that  it  could  not  be  done  without  the  con- 
sent of  congress  ;  they  therefore  recommended  that  an  earnest 
application  should  be  made  for  that  purpose.     No  doubt  such 
an  application  might  be  made  without  violating  any  principle 
of  the  constitution  ;  but  the  wisdom  of  the  measure  and  the 
probability  of  its  success,  presented  very  ditferent  questions, 
it  would  ill  become  the  congress  of  the  United  States,  special- 
ly intrusted  with  the  defence  of  the  country,  and  vested  with 
all  its  resources  for  that  purpose,  to  say  to  a  particular  sec- 
tion, take  your  own  resources  and  defend  yourselves  5  this 
would  be  an  invitation  to  the  enemy  to  bend  all  its  efforts  to 
subdue  the  section  thus  abandoned,  and  to  the  section  itself  to 
make  its  submission  upon  the  best  terms  in  its  power.     This 
recommendation  however,  was  adopted  by  two  of  the  states, 
and  an  embassy  sent  to  congress  to  make  the  proposition, 
with  instructions  also  to  apply  to  have  the  expenses  already 
incurred  by  them  in  calling  out  the  militia,  when  not  under 
the  orders  of  the  general  government  adjusted  and  allowed. 
The   news   of  peace   arriving  at  Washington   at  the  same 
time  with  the  embassy,  superseded  the  application  on  the  first 
head ;  and  on  the  second,  it  has  ever  been  unsuccessful.     The 
measure,  however,   answered  the  purpose  for  which   it  was 

*  Journal  of  the  Hartford  Convention. 


454  ritSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Cirlp.  m 

Originally  designed,  that  of  allaying  the  existing  ferment  by 
exciting  future  expectations. 

It  appeared  to  the  convention,  obviously  inexpedient  to 
take  any  measures  for  calling  a  general  convention  of  all  the 
states  for  the  purpose  of  radrcally  altering  or  changing  the 
form  of  government ;  that  the  public  expectation,  however, 
might  not  be  entirely  disappointed  on  this  head,  the  conven- 
tion recommended  certain  specific  amendments  of  minor  con- 
sideration to  be  obtained  in  the  mode  pointed  out  by  the  con- 
stitution. 

1st.  That  representatives  and  dti-ect  taxes  be  apportioned 
according  to  the  respective  numbers  of  free  persons  not  in- 
cluding slaves  or  Indians. 

2d.  No  new  state  be  admitted  without  the  consent  of  two- 
thirds  of  both  houses. 

3d.  -Congress  shall  not  have  power  to  lay  an  embargo  for 
a  longer  term  than  six-ty  days. 

4th.  Congress  shallnothave  power  without  the  concurrence 
of  two-thirds  of  both  houses  to  interdict  the  commercial  inter* 
course  between  the  United  States,  and  any  foreign  power  or 
its  dependencies.  *^  ;  .  •?  • .  i  '  '^  ^'J: 

5th.  Congres  s  shall  not  have  power  to  declare  war,  or  au- 
thorize acts  of  hostility  against  any  foreign  nation  j  without  the 
concurrence  of  two -thirds  of  both  houses,  except  such  acts  of 
•hostility  be  in  defence  of  the  territories  of  the  United  States 
when  actually  invaded. 

Gth.  No  person  who  shall  hereafter  be  naturalized,  shall 
be  eligible  as  a  member  of  the  senate,  or  house  of  represen- 
tatives, or  capable  of  holding  any  office  under  the  United 
States. 

7th.  iThe  same  person  shall  not  be  eligible  to  the  office  of 
I'resident  of  the  United  States  a  second  time ;  nor  shall  the 
President  be  elected  from  the  same  state  two  terms  in  suc- 
cession. 

The  operation  of  these  amendments  would  have  been  to 
place   in  the  hands  of  the  senators  of  seven  of  the  minor 


mUi'  mSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR:  45$' 

states,  whose  population  does  not  exceed  a  sixth  part  of  the 
union,  a  controlhng  power  over  most  of  the  important  acts  of 
the  government.  Before  these  amendments  could  be  re- 
ceived as  a  part  of  the  constitution,  they  must  be  adopted  by 
the  legislatures  of  three-fourths  of  all  the  states.  It  could 
not  be  seriously  expected  that  these  states  should  surrender 
the  right  of  self-government  to  so  small  a  portion  of  theii* 
population.  The  propositions  however,,  served  the  purpose 
of  occupying  the  public  attention  for  the  time.  Two  of  the 
states  adopted  and  transmitted  them  to  all  the  others  for  conr 
sideration,  where  they  were  uniformly  rejected,  accompanied 
in  some  instances  with  severe  animadversions  on  the  body 
from  which  they  emanated.  The  report  of  the  convention, 
containing  the  result  of  their  deliberations  was  immediately 
published,  and  transmitted  to  the  executives  of  the  states  ap- 
pointing them.  It  contained  strictures  of  peculiar  severity 
on  many  of  the  measures  of  the  general  governmentj  by  theca 
deemed  impolitic  and  unconstitutional.  It  recommends  that 
the  evils  to  which  the  New-England  states  are  subject  by 
these  measures  J.  should  be  longer  borne  rather  than  to  seek 
relief  by  any  violent  or  unconstitutional  means. 

It  recom<mends  to  the  legislatures  of  the  states  represented 
in  the  convention,  to  adopt  all  such  measures  as  may  be 
necessary  to  protect  their  citizens  from  the  operation  and 
effect  of  all  acts  which  have  been  or  may  be  passed  by 
congress,  which  shall  contain  provisions  subjecting  their  mili- 
tia or  other  citizens  to  forceable  drafts',  conscriptions,  or  im- 
pressments, not  authorized  by  the  constitution  of  the  United 
-States.  That  a  legislative  body?  may  transcend  its  authority, 
and  pass  acts  not  authorized  by  the  instrument  by  which  it  is 
created,  the  acts  of  every  legislature  of  limited  powers, 
evince.  Some  acts  of  congress  have  been  declared  uncon- 
stitutional by  the  supreme  judicial  authority  of  the  nation.  It 
is,  however,  assuming  a  high  and  unwarrantable  prerogative 
for  a  state  legislature  of  subordinate  authority,  to  declare  the 
acts  of  the  supreme  legislative  power,  void,  and  absolve  ih'^ 


456  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR..  Chap.  20. 

citizeiis  from  their  obligations  of  obedience.  For  the  state 
legislatures  to  take  measures  to  protect  their  citizens  against 
such  acts  of  congress  as  they  deem  unconstitutional,  is  sub- 
versive of  the  principles  upon  which  the  union  is  founded^ 
A  power  in  one  legislature  to  enact,  and  in  another  to  declare 
void  the  same  acts,  cannot  co-exisi.  One  state  only  follow^ 
cd  this  reconnnendation  of  the  convention,  and  happily  their 
act  upon  the  subject  was  never  attempted  to  be  executed. 

The  report  further  recommends,  that  the  legislatures  pass 
laws  authorizing  the  commanders  in  chief  of  the  militia,  ta 
make  detachments  of  the  same,  or  from  volunteer  corps,  and 
cause  them  to  be  well  armed,  equipped,  disciplined,  and  held 
in  readiness  for  service,  and  upon  request  of  the  governors  of 
either  of  the  other  states,  to  employ  the  whole,  or  such  de- 
tachment or  corps,  as  well  as  the  regular  force  of  such  state 
or  such  part  thereof  as  may  be  spared  consistently  with  their 
own  safety,  to  assist  the  state  making  such  request  to  repel 
any  invasion  thereof  by  the  public  enemy. 

The  convention  further  resolved,  that  if  the  appli^ 
cation  of  these  states  to  the  general  government  should  be 
unsuccessful,  and  peace  should  not  be  concluded,  and  the 
defence  of  these  states  should  be  neglected  as  it  had  been 
since  the  commencement  of  the  war ;  it  would  be  expedient 
for  the  legislatures  io  appoint  delegates  ta  meet  at  Boston  on 
the  third  Thursday  of  the  following  June,  with  such  powers 
and  instructions  as  the  exigencies  of  a  crisis  so  momentous 
might  require,  and  that  the  first  named  delegates  in  each 
state,  or  either  two  of  them  might  call  a  meeting  of  this  con- 
vention to  be  holden  at  Boston  at  any  time  before  new  dele- 
gates were  chosen,  if  in  their  judgment,  the'  situation  of  the 
country  should  urgently  require  it.  Having  in  this  manner 
executed  their  commission,  the  convention  closed  their  ses- 
sion on  the  5th  of  January,  1 815.*' 

*  Report  of  the  conventioD,  January  X815, 


liiU,  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  457 

What  a  second  convention  might  have  done,  had  the  war 
with  ail  its  embarrassments  and  calamities  continued,  is  a 
fruitless  inquiry.  It  was  a  subject  of  congratulation  to  all,  i  V^i' 
that  the  treaty  of  peace,  concluded  before  and  ratified  soon 
after  the  rising  of  the  convention,  put  an  end  to  all  question 
on  the  subject.  It  operated,  however,  as  a  political  ostracism 
upon  the  unfortunate  members ;  while  those  under  whose  ap- 
pointment they  acted,  and  whose  expectations  were  scarcely 
realized,  escaped  the  odium. 


58 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Tliird  Session  of  the  13th  Congress. — Message. — Proposition  to  remove 
the  Seat  of  Government ;  neg-atived. — Mr.  Dallas  appointed  to  the 
Treasury  Department — His  Expose.— His  Propositions  for  the  Im- 
provement of  the  Finances.— -His  Scheme  for  a  National  Bank.— The 
Bill  for  the  establishment  of  a  Bank  passed  both  Houses. — Disap- 
proved by  the  President.— Returned  and  neg-atived.- State  of  the 
Circulating  Medium,  and  of  Public  and  Private  Credit. — Duties  of  the 
Secretary  at  War  assigned  to  Mr.  Monroe. — His  Expose  of  the  State 
of  the  Army,  and  the  Recruiting  Service. — His  Plan  for  raising  an 
Army  for  the  year  1815.— Mr.  Giles's  Bill  adopted.— Report  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

Meeting  of  Congress,  The  period  fixed  by  a  law  of  the 
last  session  for  thc^next  meeting  of  the  13fh  congress,  was 
the  last  Monday  in  October,  1814.  But  the  general  pacifi- 
cation in  Europe,  and  the  destination  of  the  British  land  and 
naval  forces  which  had  been  engaged  in  the  European  con- 
test to  the  American  war,  rendered  an  earlier  meeting  neces- 
sary. Soon  after  the  intelligence  of  these  events  arrived, 
the  President  issued  a  proclamation  convening  congress  on 
the  19th  of  September. 

Message.  His  message  of  the  20th  informed  them  that  no 
intelligence  had  as  yet  been  received  from  the  envoys  at 
Ghent :  that  from  the  principles  and  manner  in  which  the 
war  is  now  avowedly  carried  on,  they  had  every  reason  to 
infer  that  a  spirit  of  hostility  more  violent  than  ever  is  in- 
dulged against  the  rights  and  prosperity  of  the  country.  This 
increased  violence,  the  President  observes,  is  best  explained 
by  the  two  important  circumstances,  that  the  great  centest 
in  Europe,  for  an  equilibrium  guarantying  to  ail  ttie  states 
their  rights  against  the  ambition  of  any,  has  been  closed  with- 
out any  check  on  the  overbearing  power  of  Great  Britain  on 


/ 


1814.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE   WAR.  459 

the  ocean ;  and  that  it  has  left  on  her  hands  disposable  arma- 
ments, with  which,  forgetting  the  difficulties  of  a  remote  war 
against  a  free  people,  and  yielding  to  the  intoxication  of  suc- 
cess, with  a  great  victim  before  her  eyes,  she  cherishes  hopes 
of  still  further  aggrandizement.  But  whatever  may  have 
inspired  the  enemy  with  these  more  violent  purposes,  the 
public  councils  of  this  nation,  more  able  to  maintain  than  to 
acquire  its  independence,  can  never  deliberate  but  upon  the 
means  most  effectual  for  defeating  the  extravagant  views  of 
the  enemy.  The  various  successes  of  the  American  arms  in 
the  campaign  of  1814  are  brought  into  view  as  motives  for 
increased  and  more  vigorous  exertions.  From  the  view  of 
the  national  affairs  which  the  present  crisis  presents,  congress 
will  be  urged,  the  President  remarks,  without  delay,  to 
take  up  the  subject  of  pecuniary  supplies,  and  the  military 
force,  on  a  scale  commensurate  with  the  extent  and  character 
which  the  war  has  now  assumed.  The  situation  of  the  coun- 
try calls  for  its  greatest  efforts.  The  enemy,  powerful  in  men 
and  money,  on  the  land  and  water,  is  aiming,  with  an  undivided 
force,  a  deadly  blow  at  the  growing  prosperity  of  the  coun- 
try. He  has  openly  avowed  his  purpose  of  trampling  on  the 
usages  of  civilized  war,  and  given  earnests  of  it  in  the  plun- 
der and  wanton  destruction  of  private  property.  From  such 
an  adversary,  hostility,  in  its  greatest  force  and  in  its  worst 
forms,  is  to  be  expected.  The  American  people  must  face  it 
with  the  same  undaunted  spirit,  which  in  the  revolutionary 
struggle  defeated  his  unrighteous  projects.  The  message 
concludes  with  a  strong  appeal  to  the  patriotism  of  the  Ameri- 
can people,  end  a  reliance  on  the  support  of  an  omnipotent 
and  kind  Providence."^ 

Immediately  after  the  destruction  of  the  capitol,  the  Presi- 
dent directed  another  building  to  be  provided  and  fitted  up 
for  the  accommodation  of  congress.  Though  every  exertion 
was  made  for  that  purpose,  yet  the  short  time  in  which  it  was 

*  Message  of  the  20th  of  Sept.  1814. 


460  HISTORY  OF    THE  LATE  WAR;  Chap  2i 

necessarily  done,  prevented  such  arrangements  being  made 
as  were  desirable.  The  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  borough 
of  Lancaster,  each  offered  to  provide  sufficient  accommoda- 
tions, should  congress  deem  it  proper  to  remove.  Soon  after 
the  meeting  of  congress,  a  resolution  was  introduced  and 
passed  by  the  casting  vote  of  the  speaker,  declaring  it  ex- 
pedient to  remove  the  scat  of  government  from  the  city  of 
Washington.  But  on  the  final  question  on  the  passage  of  a 
bill  to  that  effect,  it  was  negatived  :  ayes  74 ;  nays  83. 

Finance.  The  attention  of  congress  was  first  directed  to 
the  nnanical  concerns  of  the  nation. 

Circulating  Medium,  At  this  period  nine-tenths  of  the 
circulating  medium  in  the  United  States  was  bank  paper, 
issued  by  institutions  incorporated  for  banking  purposes  un- 
der the  authority  of  the  several  states.  These  institutions 
to  the  amount  of  nearly  a  hundred,  had  grown  up  with  the 
increase  of  commerce  in  the  United  States  since  the  revolu- 
tion. Their  issues  of  paper  were  always  supposed  to  be 
bottomed  upon  a  specie  capital,  paid  in,  and  deposited  in  the 
vaults  of  the  bank,  where  the  bill-holder  might  always  resort, 
and  convert  his  bill  into  specie;  and  this  was  the  case  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  banks,  the  management  of  whose  con- 
cerns had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  swindlers,  until  the  com- 
mencement of  the  year  1814.  The  specie  by  which  the  banks 
were  supplied,  was  obtained  principally  from  the  exportation 
of  American  productions.  This  source  was  almost  entirely 
cut  off  by  the  war.  Indeed  very  little  specie  found  its  way 
into  the  United  States  except  what  was  obtained  by  an  illicit 
commerce  with  the  enemy.  The  specie  in  the  country  at  the 
commencement  of  the  war  was  withdrawn  from  the  banks  by 
the  bill-holders,  and  either  exported  or  hoarded  in  private 
coffers.  In  this  situation  these  institutions  were  reduced  to 
the  alternative  of  suspending  specie  payments,  or  of  collect- 
ing in  their  debts  from  their  customers,  and  suspending  their 
ordinary  operations  of  discounting.  The  banks  south  and 
west  of  New-England  generally  adopted  the  former,  and  the 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  IGl 

New-England  banks  the  latter  alternative.  The  consequence 
was,  the  bills  of  the  specie  banks  disappeared;  the  other 
banks  continued  and  enlarged  their  business,  made  more 
liberal  discounts,  and  supplied  nearly  the  whole  circulating 
medium,  which  now  became  a  depreciated  paper.  This  struck 
at  once  at  the  foundation  of  public  and  private  credit.  The 
wary  capitalist  preferred  having  his  funds  lie  unproductive  to 
the  hazard  of  exchanging  them  for  any  paper.  A  general 
distrust  and  want  of  confidence  in  each  other  prevailed 
among  all  classes.  The  pubhc  credit  of  the  government 
suffered  equally  with  that  of  individuals ;  its  depression  was 
such  as  to  threaten  a  suspension  of  important  military  opera- 
tions. 

Loan  of  twenty-five  millions.     In   executing  the  authority 
given  by  the  act  of  March  1814,  to  borrow  twenty-five  mil- 
lions of  dollars,  a  loan  of  ten  millions,  part  of  that  sum,  was 
opened  on  the  2d  of  May.     No  money  could  be  obtained  on 
this  loan  short  of  a  discount  of  twelve  per  cent.,  and  with  a 
further  stipulation,  that  if  a  greater  discount  should  be  made 
upon  the  residue  of  the  loan,  the  subscribers  to  the  ten   mil- 
lions should  be  placed  up^^n  the  same  ground.     Of  this  sum, 
only  six  millions  reached  the  treasury  by  the  first  of  July,  and 
the  subscribers  to  the  amount  of  two  millions  finally  failed  of 
paying.     On  the  22d  of  August,  another  loan  was  opened 
for  six  millions,  but  the  whole  amount  offered  at  any  rate  was 
less  than  three,  and  this  at  a  discount  of  twenty  per  cent. 
Notwithstanding  this  reduced  rate,  the  secretary  of  the  treasu- 
ry states,  that  considering  the  market  price  of  United  States 
stock,  hardly  exceeded  eighty  per  cent.,  and  as  there  was  no 
prospect  of  obtaining  money  upon  better  ternis,  and  money 
at  some  rate  was  indispensable  to  the  public  service,  it  was 
deemed  adviseable  to  accept  the  sum  offered  at  this  rate. 
Another  three  millions  of  this  stock  was  created,  and  sent  to 
market  in  Europe.  At  the  same  time  there  were  in  circulation 
eight  millions  of  treasury  notes,  one  half  of  which  was  reim- 
bursible  during  the  year  1814,  and  being  receivable  on  all 


462  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  21. 

taxes,  and  debts  due  the  United  States,  would  intercept  and  in 
effect  diminish  the  revenue  to  that  amount.  In  this  situation 
Mr.  Campbell  left  the  treasury  in  October  1814. 

This  department  suffered  much  by  frequent  changes  of  its 
principal  officer,  during  a  period  when  uniformity  and  effi- 
ciency of  operations  were  most  essential.     In  April  1813, 
Mr.  Gallatin  was  taken  from  the  head  of  the  treasury  depart- 
ment, and  sent  on  the  peace  embassy.     This  officer   was  a 
financier  of  distinguished  talents ;  had  the  benefit  of  twelve 
years  experience  at  the  head  of  the  treasury ;  and   had  di- 
gested a  plan,  and  commenced  the  operation  of  a  system  of 
finance  adapted  to  a  state  of  war  ;  when  he  was  unexpectedly 
removed  from  the  discharge  of  the  official  duties  of  the  de- 
partment, still  retaining  the  office,  appointed  a  commissioner 
under  the  Russian  mediation,  and  immediately  despatched  to 
Petersburgh  for  the  purpose  of  meeting  British  negotiators, 
whom  that  government  never  saw  fit  to  appoint.     This  mea- 
sure was  adopted  during  the  recess  of  the  senate,  and  when 
submitted  to  them  for  approbation,  the  officer  was  on  his  way 
to  Europe  in  the  execution  of  his   commission.     The  senate 
strongly  remonstrated  against,   but  finally  confirmed  the  ap- 
pointment.    The  business  of  the  department  for  the  remainder 
of  that  year,  was  confided  to  Mr.  Jones,  the  secretary  of  the 
navy.     Early  in  1814,  Mr.  Campbell  was  appointed,   and 
took  charge  of  the  department  until  the  October  following, 
when  Mr.  Dallas  was  appointed  his  successor. 

Mr.  Dallash  Expose,  On  the  1 7th  of  October,  Mr.  Dallas, 
in  answer  to  inquiries  from  the  committee  of  ways  and  means, 
gave  an  expose  of  the  state  of  the  treasury  at  the  commence- 
ment of  his  official  duties.  Contemplating  the  present  state 
of  the  finances,  he  observes,  a  deficiency  of  the  revenue,  and 
a  depreciation  of  public  credit  exist  from  causes  which  cannot 
be  ascribed  to  the  want  of  resources,  or  want  of  integrity 
in  the  nation.  The  most  operative  causes  have  been  the  in- 
adequacy of  the  system  of  taxation  to  form  the  basis  of  pub- 
lic credit,  and  the  abuse  of  the  means  best  adapted  to  antici- 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  463 

pate,  collect,  and  distribute  the  public  revenue.  The  wealth 
of  the  nation  has  remained  almost  wholly  untouched  by  the 
hand  of  government.  The  national  faith,  and  not  the  national 
wealth,  has  hitherto  been  the  principal  instrument  of  finance. 
It  was  to  be  expected,  however,  that  a  period  must  arrive  in 
the  course  of  a  protracted  war,  when  confidence  in  the  accu- 
mulating public  engagements  could  only  be  secured  by  an 
active  demonstration  of  the  capacity  and  disposition  to  per- 
form them.  A  prompt  and  resolute  application  of  the  re- 
sources of  the  country  will  effectually  relieve  from  every  pe- 
cuniary embarrassment,  and  vindicate  the  fiscal  honour  of  the 
government. 

The  public  exigencies  require  a  supply  of  treasure  for  the 
prosecution  of  the  Avar,  far  beyond  any  amount  which  it  is 
either  politic  or  practicable  to  obtain  by  an  immediate  and 
constant  imposition  of  taxes.  Resort  must  therefore  be  had 
to  credit.  Public  credit  is  at  this  juncture  so  depressed,  that 
no  hope  of  adequate  succour,  on  moderate  terms,  can  be 
placed  upon  it.  Hence  it  becomes  the  first  and  last  object 
in  every  practical  scheme  of  finance  to  reanimate  the  con- 
fidence of  the  citizens,  and  to  impress  on  the  mind  of  every 
person,  who  renders  services,  furnishes  supplies, or  advances 
money  on  public  account,  a  perfect  conviction  of  the  punctu- 
ality as  well  as  the  security  of  government.  We  have  now 
not  merely  the  care  of  preserving  a  credit  which  has  never 
been  impaired,  but  the  more  difficult  task  of  rescuing  from 
reproach,  a  credit  over  which  doubt  and  apprehension  have 
cast  an  inauspicious  shade.  No  exertion  will  be  found  com- 
petent to  attain  this  object  which  does  not  quiet  in  every  mind 
all  fear  of  future  loss  and  disappointment  in  consequence  of 
trusting  to  the  pledges  of  public  faith. 

The  circulating  medium  of  the  country,  the  secretary  adds, 
is  anothor  copious  source  of  mischief  and  embarrassment. 
The  recent  exportations  of  specie  has  considerably  dimin- 
ished the  fund  of  sjold  and  silver  coin;  and  another  portion 


464  HISTORY  Oi^  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  SI, 

of  it  has  been  withdrawn  by  the  timid,  and  wary  from  the  use 
of  the  community,  into  the  cofters  of  individuals.  The  multi- 
plication of  banks  has  so  increased  the  quantity  of  paper  cur- 
rency, that  it  is  difficult  to  calculate  its  amount  or  ascertain 
its  value,  with  reference  to  the  capital  on  which  it  has  been 
issued.  It  may  therefore  be  affirmed  that  there  exists  at  this 
time  no  adequate  circulating  medium  common  to  the  citizens 
of  the^lUnited  States.  The  moneyed  transactions  of  private 
life  are  at  a  stand,  and  the  fiscal  operations  of  government 
labour  with  extreme  inconvenience.  It  is  impossible  that 
such  a  state  of  things  can  long  be  endured,  and  with  legisla- 
tive aid,  it  is  not  necessary.  Under  favourable  circum- 
stances, and  to  a  limited  extent,  an  emission  of  treasury  notes 
would  probably  afford  relief,  but  they  are  an  expensive  and 
precarious  substitute  for  coin  or  bank  notes,  charged  as  they 
are  with  a  growing  interest,  productive  of  no  countervailing 
profit,  and  exposed  to  every  breath  of  popular  prejudice  and 
alarm. 

The  establishment  of  a  national  institution  operating  upon 
credit,  combined  with  capital,  and  regulated  by  prudence  and 
good  faith,  is,  after  all,  the  only  efficient  remedy  for  the  dis- 
ordered  state  of  the  circulating  medium.  It  will  be  a  safe 
depository  for  the  public  treasure,  and  a  constant  auxiliary 
to  public  credit.  But  whether  the  issues  of  a  paper  cur- 
rency proceed  from  the  national  treasury  or  a  national  bank 5 
the  acceptance  of  the  paper  in  a  course  of  payments  must  be 
for  ever  optional  with  the  citizens.  The  extremity  of  that 
day  cannot  be  anticipated,  when  any  enlightened  statesman 
shall  again  venture  upon  the  desperate  expedient  of  a  tender 
law.  Having  thus  generally  delineated  the  fiscal  concerns 
of  the  nation,  the  secretary  next  proceeds  to  offer  the  follow- 
ing specific  propositions,  which  in  his  opinion  would  place 
public  credit  upon  a  permanent  basis,  and  furnish  an  eligible 
circulating  medium. 


1814.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAB.  465 

1st.  That  during  the   war,  and  until   the  claims  contem- 
plated in  these  propositions  are  extinguished  there  should  be 
annually  raised  by  taxes,  duties,  imposts,  and  excises,  a  fund, 
For  the  support  of  government  of  .     .     .     .     g  1,500, 000 
For  the   principal  and  interest  of  the  public 

debt  due  defore  the  war 3,500,000 

Interest  on  the  war  debt  estimated  at  seventy- 
two  millions 4,320,000 

For  the  payment  of  treasury  notes  ....       7,400,000 
For   the     payment   of   any    liquidated    ba- 
lances where  there  are  no  specific  appropria- 
tions    280,000 

For  the  current  expenses  of  the  war  in  part  .       2,000,000 

For  a  sinking  fund -     .  500,000 

For  a  contingent  fund  to  meet  sudden  and 
occasional  demands  on  the  treasury     ....       1,500,000 


g2 1,000,000 
2d.  That  this  sum  be  raised  by  the  customs 

estimated  at ^4,000,000 

Existing  internal  duties 2,700,000 

Direct  tax 2,500,000 

Sales  of  public  lands  .     ...,,..  800,000 

By  an  addition  of  one  hundred  per  cent,  upon 
the  direct  tax,  sales  at  auction,  rates  of  postage, 

and  duties  on  carriages 3,700,000 

By  an  addition  of  fifty  percent,  on   retailing 

licenses         300,000 

By  the  proceeds  of  new  duties,  viz.  by  a  tax 
on  domestic  distilled  spirits  of  twenty-five  cents 
per  gallon  in  addition  to  the  duty  on  stills     .     .         6,000,000 
On  other  manufactures  not  hitherto  taxed     .         1,000,000 


§21,000,000 

M.  That  a  national  bank  be  established  at  Philadelphia, 

with  power  to  estabhsh  branches  at  pleasure,  and  with  a  caji)« 

ital  of  fifty  millions  of  dollars ;  thirty  to  be  Bubscribed  by  indi- 

59 


46G  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chaf,  2i. 

viduals,  and  twenty  by  the  United  States.  The  specie  capi- 
tal to  be  six  millions  paid  by  individuals,  the  residue  to  be 
paid  in  treasury  notes  and  United  States  stock  :  that  the 
United  States  should  have  power  to  take  up  treasury  notes 
paid  in  by  individuals,  and  substitute  six  per  cent,  stock. 
That  no  part  of  the  public  stock  should  be  sold  by  the  bank 
during  the  war,  nor  more  than  half  of  it  afterwards  without 
the  consent  of  congress.  And  that  the  bank  should  be 
obliged  to  loan  to  the  United  States  thirty  millions  at  an  inter- 
est of  six  per  cent. 

4th.  That  twenty-eight  millions  be  borrowed  for  the  wac 
expenditures  of  1815,  and  afterwards  such  sums  annually  as 
should  be  necessary  to  meet  the  war  appropriations.* 

This  financial  expose  of  the  secretary  of  the  treasury  was 
received  with  great  anxiety.  It  presented  to  the  view  of  con- 
gress and  the  people,  the  real  situation  of  the  national  trea- 
sury, the  state  of  public  credit,  and  the  circulating  medium. 
No  effectual  provision  was  made  at  the  commencement  of  the 
war  for  meeting  its  expenses,  other  than  acts  of  congress  au- 
ihorizing  the  borrowing  of  money,  and  issuing  treasury  notes  : 
and  no  receipts  at  the  treasury  were  had  on  account  of  the 
war  taies  until  more  than  a  year  after  they  were  imposed. 
During  this  time  the  war  debt  had  accumulated  to  au 
amount  which  threatened  the  destruction  of  public  credit. 
Mr.  Dallas's  measures  went  in  a  great  degree  to  correct  the 
evil.  The  system  of  taxes  and  internal  duties  which  he  re- 
commended were,  with  some  unimportant  variations,  adopted. 

National  Bank,  On  the  subject  of  his  project  for  a  na- 
tional bank,  there  was  a  great  diversity  of  sentiment.  Whe- 
ther it  was  within  the  constitutional  powers  of  congress  to  cre- 
ate such  an  institution,  was  a  question  which  had  long  divided 
public  opinion.  It  was  not  given  by  any  express  clause  in  the 
constitution,  and  by  a  subsequent  amendment  it  was  provided. 
"  that  the  powers  not  delegated  to  the  United  States  by  the  con- 

*Mr  DallaB's  expose,  October  1814. 


1^14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  467 

stitution,  nor  prohibited  by  it  to  the  states,  are  reserved  to  th.e 
states,  respectively,  or  to  the  people."     One  clause  in  the  con- 
stitution gave  congress  the  power  to  make  all  laws  necessary  and 
proper  for  carrying  into  eifectthe  powers  delegated  to  them. 
This  general  indefinite  power,  the  extent  of  which  is  always 
to  be  judged  of  in  the  first  instance  by  the  body  who  is  to  ex- 
ercise it,  has  ever  been  construed  to  extend  to  any  measure 
which  it  is  found  convenient  to  adopt.     With  this  disposition 
to  a  liberal  construction  of  their  own  powers,  the  first  con- 
gress under  the  constitution  established  a  national  bank  as 
a  measure   necessary  and  proper   to  carry  into  effect  the 
financial   powers   expressly   delegated   by  the  constitution. 
The  measure,  however,   was   severely  reprobated  by  a  re- 
spectable portion  of  the  legislature  as  unconstitutional ;  and 
when  the  charter  expired  it  was  refused  to  be  renewed.     In 
the  extended  financial  operations  incident  to  a  state  of  war, 
and  in  the  absence  of  a  specie  circulating  medium,  the  want 
of  such  an  institution  was  greatly  felt,  and  constitutional  scru- 
ples disappeared.     But  to  the  project  of  the  secretary,  there 
were  peculiar  objections.     This  bank  was  to  consist  of  a  spe- 
cie capital  of  six   millions  only;  the   other  forty  forty- four 
were  to  consist  of  debt  against  the  United  States,  which  the 
bank  could  not  alienate,  or  in  any  manner  convert  into  acr 
live  capital,  and  of  course  could  afford  no  aid  in  banking  op- 
erations.    With  these  limited  means,  the  bank  was  required 
to  loan,  at  the  call  of  government,  thirty  millions,  or  five  times 
its  active  capital,  and  to  furnish  a  circulating  medium  for  the 
nation  :  its  discounts  of  course  must  be  liberal :  it  must  throw 
out  an  immense  quantity  of  bills  into  circulation  ;  to  restrain 
which  there  was  no  limitation.     The  consequence  must  be  a 
want  of  means  to  redeem  its  bills  in  specie  ;  and  another  in- 
evitable consequence,  a   depreciation  of  the  currency.     It 
might  afford   a  convenient  mode  of  disposing  of  forty-four 
millions  of  the  public  debt,  but  the  sacrifice  was  deemed  too 
great.     It  was  nothing  more  than  a  paper  money  scheme  in 
the  hands  of  individuals  who  might  pervert  it  to  the  most  per-, 


468  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2L 

nicious  purposes.  The  committee  of  ways  and  means,  how- 
ever, reported  a  bill  to  the  house,  establishing  a  bank  upon 
the  secretary's  principles.  After  undergoing  a  discussion  of 
several  weeks,  the  features  of  the  bill  were  entirely  changed. 
It  was  altered  from  a  paper  to  a  specie  bank.  It  was  holden 
to  redeem  its  bills  with  specie ;  and  for  this  purpose,  the 
treasury  notes,  and  one-half  the  United  States  stock  paid  in 
by  subscribers,  might  be  sold  in  market  at  the  pleasure  of  the 
bank  ;  and  the  institution  was  to  be  under  no  obligation  to 
loan  money  to  the  government.  The  capital  was  to  consist 
of  thirty  millions,  one-sixth  part  specie,  and  the  other  United 
States  stock  and  treasury  notes.  A  bill  incorporating  a  bank 
npon  these  principles  finally  passed  both  houses,  and  was 
presented  to  the  President  for  approbation.  The  executive, 
preferring  the  system  of  the  secretar}^,  disapproved  the  bill, 
and  returned  it  with  his  objections,  stating  that  waiving  the 
constitutional  question  which  he  considered  as  being  at  rest 
by  the  varieus  acts  of  the  legislative,  executive,  and  judicial 
branches  of  the  government,  the  bank  in  his  opinion  was 
calculated  to  afford  no  efficient  aid  to  the  government.  The 
amount  of  public  stock,  which  would  be  absorbed  by  the 
bank,  and  which  they  would  be  obliged  to  retain,  would  have 
no  sensible  effect  to  raise  the  public  credit ;  Avhile  by  throw- 
ing into  market  such  parts  of  it  as  they  were  authorized  to 
sell,  they  might  contribute  to  its  further  depression.  Not  be- 
ing obliged  to  loan  money  to  government,  no  reasonable  ex- 
pectation of  benefit  was  to  be  expected  from  that  source,  and 
being  obliged  to  redeem  their  bills  by  specie  payments,  they 
would  be  so  confined  in  their  operations  as  not  to  afford  a  cir- 
culating medium.  That  the  six  millions  of  specie  paid  in  by 
the  subscribers  would  probably  soon  be  drawn  out  for  expor- 
tation which  would  further  increase  the  embarrassments 
arising  from  the  want  of  a  specie  circulating  medium.  That 
a  bank,  with  the  exclusive  privileges  conferred  on  this,  ought 
to  purchase  their  charter  either  directly  by  an  adequate 
bonus,  or  indirecdy  by  being  obliged  to  make  loans  to  gov- 


1814,  liXSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  4(31> 

crnmcnt  to  a  certain  amount  when  required  ;  neither  of  which 
was  provided  for  in  the  act.  The  bill,  being  returned  to  the 
senate  with  the  President's  objections,  failed  of  being  support- 
ed by  a  majority  of  two-thirds,  and  was  negatived. 

Treasury  Estimates.  On  the  27th  of  January,  the  secre- 
tary presented  another  report,  stating  that  the  charges  on  the 
treasury  for  the  year  1814,  consisting  of  unsatisfied  appropri- 
ations of  the  preceding  year,  tne  sums  necessary  to  meet  the 
engagement  of  the  public  debt,  and  the  appropriations  for  the 
year  1814,  amounted  to  $57,694,590. 70.  That  the  ways 
and  means  provided  to  meet  these  demands  were, 
Cash  in  the  treasury  on  the  1st  of  January, 

1814, ^5,196,482 

Amount  of  cash  received  for  revenue,  of  ev- 
ery description,  in  1814,     11,311,353 

Proceeds  of  loans  and  treasury  notes  in  1813, 

and  received  in  1814, 4,662,665 

Authority  to  borrow  and  issue  treasury  notes 
for  the  service  of  the  year  1814, 36,000,000 


$57,1 70,500 
On  this  statement  the  secretary  remarks,  the  calls  on  the 
treasury  are  positive  and  urgent  5  the  ways  and  means   de- 
pending principally  on  the  loans  as  yet  unobtained,  are  pre- 
carious, and  not  to  be  relied  on. 

The  estimates  for  the  year  1815,  he  states  to  be. 
For  the  civil,  diplomatic,  and  miscellaneous 

expenses, $1,979,289 

Military  department, 30,342,238 

Naval  department, 8,217,362 

Pubhc  debt  necessary  to  be  provided  for  in 
1815, 15,493,145 


$  56,032,034 

The  ways  and  means  for  1815  are  the  existing  sources  of 

supply  embracing  cash  in  the  treasury,  direct  tax,  customs, 

internal  duties,  and  all  incidental  receipts,  and  amount  to 


470  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  21- 

15,125,909,  leaving  a  deficit  of  more  than  forty  millions,  to 
be  provided  for  by  additional  internal  taxes,  loans,  and  issues 
of  treasury  notes.  This  deficit  of  forty  millions  for  the  ser- 
vice of  the  year  1815,  together  with  the  unobtained  loans  for 
1814,  both  amounting  to  seventy-six  millions,  presented  a 
most  unpromising  aspect.  After  making  his  statement  in 
detail,  the  secretary  concludes  the  communication  by  remark- 
ing, that  when  he  perceives  that  more  than  forty  millions  are 
to  be  raised  for  the  service  of  the  year  1815,  by  an  appeal  to 
public  credit  through  the  medium  of  loans  and  treasury  notes, 
he  feels  the  utmost  solicitude  for  the  event.  The  unprom- 
ising state  of  public  credit,  and  the  obstructed  state  of  the 
circulating  medium,  are  sufficiently  known.  A  liberal  impo- 
sition of  taxes  during  the  present  session,  ought  to  raise  the 
public  credit,  were  it  not  for  countervailing  causes ;  but  it  can 
have  no  effect  in  furnishing  a  national  circulating  medium. 
It  remains  therefore  with  the  wisdom  of  Congress  to  decide 
whether  any  other  means  can  be  applied  to  restore  public 
credit,  re-estabUsh  a  national  circulating  medium,  and  facili- 
tate the  anticipations  of  the  public  revenue.  The  opinion  of 
this  department  has  been  heretofore  frankly  expressed,  and  it 
remains  unchanged. 

Military  Expose, — A  view  of  the  military  establishment  in 
prospect  for  the  year  1815,  was  as  unpromising  as  that  of  the 
treasury.  The  duties  of  the  department  of  war  had  in  the 
month  of  September  been  assigned  to  the  secretary  of  state  ; 
and  on  the  17th  of  October,  Mr.  Monroe  as  acting  secretary 
at  war,  in  answer  to  a  letter  from  the  chairman  of  the  military 
committee,  gave  a  detailed  exposition  of  the  state  of  the  mili- 
tary department,  of  the  force  necessary  for  the  service  of  the 
year  1815,  and  of  the  means  of  obtaining  it.  He  states  that  an 
effective  force  of  one  hundred  thousand  men  will  be  necssa. 
ry  for  the  service  of  the  year  1815.  He  recommends  that  the 
present  mihtary  establishment  of  62,448  men,  be  preserved  and 
filled  up,  and  an  additional  permanent  force  of  forty  thousand, 
be  raised  for  the  defence  of  the  sea-board  and  frontiers.     In 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  471 

proposing  these  measures,  the  secretary  adds,  "  it  is  now  ap- 
parent that  the  object  of  the  British  government,  by  striking 
at  the  principal  sources  of  prosperity,  is  to  diminish  the  im- 
portance, if  not  destroy  the  pohtical  existence  of  the  United 
States.  Forced  now  to  contend  for  our  hberties  and  inde- 
pendence, we  are  called  upon  to  display  all  the  patriotism 
which  distinguished  Americans  in  the  first  great  struggle. 
The  United  States  must  relinquish  no  right,  or  perish  in  the 
attempt.  There  was  no  middle  ground  to  rest  on.  The 
stronger  the  pressure,  and  the  greater  the  danger,  the  more 
firm  and  vigorous  will  be  the  resistance,  and  the  more  suc- 
cessful the  result.  It  is  the  avowed  purpose  of  the  enemy  to 
lay  waste  and  destroy  our  cities  and  villages,  and  desolate  the 
country,  of  which  numerous  examples  had  already  been  af- 
forded. It  is  evidently  his  intention  to  press  the  war  along 
the  whole  extent  of  the  sea-board,  and  from  Canada  to  invade 
the  adjoining  states;  while  at  the  same  time,  attempts  are 
made  on  the  city  of  New- York  and  other  important  points,  in 
the  vain  project  of  dismemberment  or  subjugation.  A  part 
of  his  scheme  evidently  appears  to  be  to  continue  the  inva- 
sion of  this  part  of  the  union,  while  a  separate  force  attacks 
the  state  of  Louisiana  in  the  hope  of  taking  possession  of 
New-Orleans,  and  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  the  great  out- 
let and  key  to  the  commerce  of  all  that  portion  of  the  United 
States  west  of  the  Alleghany  mountains.  The  advantage 
which  a  great  naval  superiority  gives  the  enemy  by  enabling 
him  to  move  his  troops  with  celerity,  from  one  quarter  to 
another,  from  Maine  to  Mississippi,  along  a  coast  of  two  thou- 
sand miles,  is  very  great.  A  small  force  moved  in  this  man- 
ner, for  the  purposes  avowed  by  the  British  commander, 
creates  an  alarm  in  every  part.  If  the  militia  are  to  be  relied 
on  as  the  principal  defence  of  the  coast  against  these  preda- 
tory and  desolating  incursions,  by  interfering  with  their  or- 
dinary pursuits  of  industry,  it  will  be  attended  with  serious  in- 
terruption and  loss  to  them,  and  injury  to  the  public.  It  is 
an  object  therefore  of  the  highest  importance  to  provide  a 


472  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAB.  Chap.  Uh 

regular  force  with  the  means  of  transporting  it  from  one  quar- 
ter to  another,  thereby  following  the  movements  of  the  ene- 
my with  the  greatest  possible  rapidity  in  repelling  his  attacks, 
wherever  they  may  be  made.  Three  times  tlie  force  in  mi- 
htia  has  been  employed,  the  secretary  stated,  at  our  princi- 
pal cities  on  the  coast  and  on  the  frontier,  and  in  marching  to 
and  returning  from  thence,  that  would  have  been  necessary  in 
regular  troops,  and  the  expense  has  been  more  than  propor- 
tionably  augmented.  But  to  bring  the  war  to  an  honourable 
termination,  we  must  not  be  contented  with  merely  defending 
ourselves.  Diflferent  feelings  must  be  touched,  and  different 
apprehensions  excited  in  the  British  government.  By  push- 
ing the  war  into  Canada,  the  friendship  of  the  Indian  tribes  is 
secured,  and  their  services  commanded,  which  would  be  oth- 
erwise turned  against  us.  The  coast  is  relieved  from  the 
desolation  threatened,  and  we  have  in  our  hands  a  safe  pledge 
of  an  honourable  peace.  From  this  view  of  the  subject,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  bring  into  the  field  a  regular  army  of  one 
hundred  thousand  eflective  men  for  the  next  campaign.  Such 
a  force,  aided  in  extraordinary  emergencies  by  volunteers, 
and  militia,  will  remove  all  inquietude,  as  to  the  final  result 
of  the  contest,  and  secure  to  the  United  States  a  safe  and 
honourable  peace." 

But  the  great  question  remains,  how  is  this  force  to  be  ob- 
tained ?  .  For  the  recruiting  service  of  the  last  year  a  bounty 
has  been  offered  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  dollars,  and 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  to  each  recruit,  ninety- 
six  dollars  a  year  wages,  and  clothing  during  the  time  of 
service.  Recruiting  rendezvous  had  been  opened  at  sixty 
different  places  in  the  United  States,  and  to  ensure  the  ac- 
tivity of  recruiting  officers,  they  were  allowed  four  dollars  for 
each  man  obtained.  Two  millions  of  dollars  had  been  paid 
out  in  bounties  and  premiums  in  the  recruiting  service,  from 
January  to  September,  1814,  and  during  that  time,  and  with 
these  exertions,  only  thirteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
ninety-eight  men  had  been  obtained ;  and  not  more  than  one 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  473 

half  of  that  number  had  reached  the  army  in  season  for  active 
service  in  the  campaign  of  1814.  The  army,  which  on  pa- 
per stood  at  62,448  men,  did  not  at  the  close  of  the  campaign 
exceed  half  that  number  of  effectives.  The  recruiting  ser- 
vice for  the  ensuing  year  was  still  more  unpromising.  The 
campaign  of  1814  had  been  severe,  fatiguing,  and  hazardous  ; 
that  of  1815  wore  a  still  more  threatening  aspect.  The  sol- 
dier had  now  to  expect  to  meet  the  veteran  troops  of  Great 
Britain,  inured  to  twenty  years'  service  in  the  open  field. 
Nearly  all  those  who  could  be  supposed  willing,  either  from 
motives  of  patriotism  or  interest,  to  pledge  their  hves  to  gov- 
ernment had  already  been  enlisted ;  and  it  would  be  per- 
fectly vain  and  illusory  to  attempt  the  raising  of  seventy 
thousand  men,  the  number  wanted  according  to  the  secre- 
tary's estimate,  by  voluntary  enlistment. 

Plan  of  the  Secretary  at  War  for  jUling  the  Ranks  of  the 
Army,  With  these  views,  the  secretary,  who  was  not  a  man 
to  propose  an  object  without  adequate  means  to  accomplish 
it,  was  induced  to  abandon  the  system  of  voluntary  enlist- 
ment, and  propose  one  of  compulsory  service.  His  report 
embraced  four  {)lans ;  but  the  first  and  the  one  which  he 
strongly  recommended,  was  by  far  the  most  simple,  energetic, 
and  effectual.  He  proposed  that  the  free  male  population  of 
the  United  States,  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and  forty- 
five,  and  which  according  to  the  census  of  eighteen  hundred 
and  ten,  amounted  to  between  nine  and  ten  hundred  thousand, 
should  be  formed  into  classes  of  one  hundred  men  each,  by 
local  precincts,  with  a  view  to  the  equal  distribution  of  prop- 
erty among  the  several  classes  ;  and  that  each  class  furnish 
their  proportion  of  men  required  within  thirty  days  after  the 
classification,  and  replace  them  in  case  of  casualty:  all  the 
taxable  property  within  the  precinct  of  each  class  to  be  taxed 
to  pay  an  extra  bounty  to  the  recruits.  The  men  want- 
ed were  to  be  designated  by  draft,  if  volunteers  did  not  offer, 
li^stimating  the  whole  number  of  citizens  of  the  requisite  age 
at  a  million,  and  the  number  wanted  at  seventy  thousand, 

66 


474  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  Chap.SJI. 

would  give  seven  men  to  each  class.  The  recruits  to  be 
delivered  over  to  the  recruiting  officer  of  the  district,  and 
marched  to  such  place  of  general  rendezvous  as  should  be 
designated  by  the  secretary  at  war.  Particular  persons  in 
each  county  to  be  appointed  by  the  President  to  carry  this 
system  into  execution. 

The  secretary,  aware  that  this  was  bringing  the  war  home 
to  the  feelings  of  congress  and  their  constituents,  and  that 
there  probably  might  be  strong  objections  to  the  plan,  assigns 
his  reasons  for  the  measure.  That  it  will  be  effectual,  can- 
not, he  observes,  be  doubted;  the  men  contemplated  will 
soon  be  raised,  and  there  can  be  no  well  grounded  constitu- 
tional objections.  Congress  have  a  right  to  declare  war  and 
to  raise  regular  armies  without  restriction.  It  is  intended 
that  this  plan  should  operate  on  all  alike ;  none  are  exempt- 
ed but  the  chief  magistrate  of  the-  United  States,  and  the  gov- 
ernors of  the  several  states.  It  would  be  absurd  to  suppose 
that  congress  could  not  carry  this  power  into  effect,  otherwise 
than  by  accepting  the  voluntary  services  of  individuals.  It 
might  happen  that  an  army  could  not  be  raised  in  that  mode  t 
the  power  then  would  have  been  granted  in  vain.  The 
safety  of  the  state  might  depend  upon  such  an  army,  and  be 
jeopardized  by  delay.  Long  continued  invasions,  conducted 
by  regular  and  well  diciplined  troops,  can  best  be  repelled 
by  troops  of  the  same  character.  Courage  is  in  a  great  de- 
gree mechanical.  A  small  body,  well  trained,  accustomed  to 
action,  and  ^i^allantly  led  on,  often  breaks  down  three  or  four 
times  the  number  of  more  respectable  and  brave,  but  rau^ 
and  undiciplined  troops.  The  sense  of  danger  is  diminished 
by  frequent  exposure  without  harm;  and  confidence  inspired 
by  a  knowledge  that  reliance  may  be  placed  on  others  :  this 
knowledge  is  obtained  in  no  other  way  but  by  actual  service 
together.  The  power  granted  to  congress  to  raise  armies, 
was  made  with  a  knowledge  of  all  these  circumstances.  The 
fr^mers  of  (he  constitution,  and  the  states  who  ratified  it.  knew 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  475 

the  advantage  which  an  enemy  might  have  by  regular  forces, 
and  intended  to  place  their  country  on  an  equal  footing. 

The  idea  that  Congress  cannot  raise  an  army  in  any  other 
mode  than  by  accepting  the  voluntary  services  of  individuals, 
the  secretary  observes,  is  repugnant  to  the  uniform  construc- 
tion of  all  grants  of  power,  and  to  the  first  principles  and 
leading  objects  of  the  constitution.  An  unqualified  grant  of 
power  gives  the  necessary  means  of  carrying  it  into  effect. 
This  is  a  universal  law  of  construction  that  admits  of  no  ex- 
ception. The  conservation  of  the  state  is  a  duty  paramount 
to  all  others.  The  commonwealth  has  a  right  to  the  ser- 
vices of  all  its  citizens  5  or  rather  the  citizens  composing  the 
commonwealth  have  a  right  to  the  services  of  each  other  to 
repel  any  danger  which  may  be  threatened.  In  what  man- 
ner this  service  is  to  be  apportioned  among  the  citizens  is  the 
object  of  legislation.  All  that  is  to  be  dreaded  in  such  cases 
is  the  abuse  of  power,  and  the  constitution  has  provided  am- 
ple security  against  that  evil.  In  support  of  the  position  that 
congress  have  a  right  to  compel  the  military  services  of  indi- 
viduals, the  militia  laws  are  a  conclusive  proof  and  a  striking 
example.  That  whole  system  is  founded  on  compulsion  •, 
the  militia  man  is  enrolled  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  disciplined, 
called  into  active  service,  and  subject  to  martial  law,  without 
his  consent.  The  militia  service  calls  from  home,  for  long 
terms,  whole  districts  of  country  ;  none  can  elude  the  call ;  few 
can  avoid  the  service ;  and  those  who  do  are  compelled  to  pay 
<rreat  sums  for  substitutes.  The  plan  proposed  fixes  upon  no 
one  personally,  and  opens  to  all  a  chance  of  dechning  the  ser- 
vice. It  is  the  principal  object  of  this  planto  engage  in  defence 
of  the  state,  the  unmarried  andyouthful,who  can  best  be  spared, 
and  tosecure  to  them  an  adequate  compensation,  from  the  vol- 
untary contributions  of  the  more  wealthy  of  every  class.  Great 
confidence  is  entertained  that  such  contribution  will  be  made 
in  time  to  avoid  a  draft.  The  secretary  finally  adduced  in 
support  of  his  plan,  the  example  of  the  revolutionary  war. 


476  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  21; 

It  then  filled  the  ranks  of  the  regular  army,  and  led  to  a  suc- 
cessful termination  of  the  contest.  Should  the  United  States 
make  this  exertion,  the  war  would  probably  soon  end.  It  i,s 
in  their  power  to  expel  the  British  from  the  American  conti- 
nent. Against  the  united  and  vigorous  efforts  of  America,  the 
resistance  of  the  enemy  must  be  feeble.  Success  in  defeating 
the  schemes  of  the  enemy,  and  obtaining  an  honourable  peace, 
will  place  the  United  States  on  higher  ground  in  the  opinion 
of  the  world,  than  they  have  ever  held  at  any  former  period. 
In  future  European  wars,  their  commerce  will  be  allowed  to 
take  its  lawful  range  unmolested  :  respected  abroad,  and  happy 
at  home,  the  United  States  will  have  accomplished  the  great 
objects  for  which  they  have  so  long  contended  :  as  a  nation 
they  will  have  litde  to  dread,  as  a  people  little  to  desire.* 

To  fill  the  ranks  of  the  existing  army,  the  secretary  calcu- 
lated, would  require  four  to  each  class,  and  about  the  same 
number  to  raise  the  proposed  additional  corps  of  forty  thousand. 
It  was  only  to  constitute  every  twelfth  free  male  citizen  of 
the  United  States,  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and  forty-five, 
a  soldier  during  the  war,  and  all  the  brilliant  objects  enume- 
rated in  the  secretary's  report  would  probably  be  realized. 
Three  other  plans  were  proposed  as  substitutes  for  this,  but 
all  of  them  being  less  efficient,  and  equally  objectionable  ;  the 
secretary  relied  on  this  for  the  further  prosecution  of  the 
war. 

Two  objects  were  proposed  by  the  raising  of  this  army : 
pne,  the  defence  of  the  territory  ;  the  other,  the  conquest  of 
Canada.  But  his  arguments  were  now  addressed  to  a  body 
who  had  given  up  the  plan  of  the  Canadian  conquest,  and 
whose  undivided  attention  was  directed  to  an  efficient  system 
of  (defence. 

The  secretaries  of  the  treasury  and  war,  both  recently  aj)- 
pointed  to  those  offices,  in  their  reports  to  congress,  laid  open 
with  great  faithfulness  and  ability  the  embarrassments  under 

•t"V'       !  ' ■ ■ ■ 

*  Report  of  the  acting  secretary  at  war,  October  1814. 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  477 

which  the  financial  and  military  affairs  of  the  nation  labour- 
ed,  and  proposed  remedies,  bold,  energetic,  and  effectual,  but 
such  as  at  the  commencement  of  the  war  were  little  antici- 
pated. Itjs^as  not  expected  that  in  a  contest  for  the  rights 
of  some  thousands  of  American  seamen,  who  had  been  gross- 
ly injured,  these  seamen  would  in  consequence  thereof  be  im- 
mured in  Dartmoor  prison,  and  one  hundred  thousand  free 
citizens  of  the  United  States  be  compelled  to  fill  the  ranks  of 
the  army.  But  war  once  declared,  there  was  no  resting 
point ;  the  blood  and  treasure  of  the  nation  were  pledged  for 
its  support ;  and  that  legislature  who  are  not  prepared,  if  the 
occasion  calls,  to  compel  every  citizen,  capable  of  bearing 
arms,  to  take  their  stand  in  the  ranks  of  the  army,  and  to  take 
so  much  of  the  treasure  of  the  nation  as  is  necessary  to  ac- 
complish the  objects  of  the  contest,  even  to  its  last  cent,  must 
not  declare  war.  Such,  however,  was  not  the  temper  of  con- 
gress, nor  could  they  be  brought  to  it  by  the  reasonings  of  the 
secretariesc 

The  plan  of  the  secretary  at  war  was  not  even  honoured  with 
a  discussion  in  either  house  of  congress.  No  bill  was  ever  m- 
troduced  embracing  its  principles.  The  measure  was  deem- 
ed too  strong,  and  too  nearly  allied  to  European  conscrip- 
tions and  impressments  for  republican  America. 

As  a  substitute,  Mr.  Giles,  of  the  mihtary  committee,  in- 
troduced a  bill  into  the  senate,  authorizing  the  President  to 
call  upon  the  executives  of  each  state,  for  their  propor- 
tion of  eighty  thousand  militia,  to  serve  for  the  term  of  two 
years,  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States,  and  confined 
also  to  the  state  in  which  they  were  raised,  or  an  adjoining 
state.  This  corps  was  to  be  raised  by  draft,  on  failure  of 
volunteers  offering  themselves  ;  and  for  this  purpose,  all  per- 
sons subject  to  military  duty  were  to  be  classed,  with  refer- 
ence also  to  property,  in  such  manner,  that  one  from  each 
class  could  supply  the  requisite  number.  Their  services, 
being  confined  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States,  were  to 
be  merely  of  a  defensive  character.     This  bill,  with  little  va- 


478  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  Chap.  £>r. 

riation,  passed  both  houses  ;  and  being  a  substitute  for  the  reg- 
ular force  contemplated  by  the  secretary  at  war,  manifested 
an  unequivocal  determination  to  abandon  the  project  of  con- 
quering the  Canadas. 

Enlistment  of  Minors,  Another  bill  was  also  introduced 
from  the  same  committee  in  aid  of  the  recruiting  service,  in- 
creasing the  land  bounty  to  320  acres,  and  providing  that 
persons  under  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  may  be  enlisted 
without  the  consent  of  their  parents,  guardians,  or  masters. 
The  last  provision  was  opposed  as  impolitic,  tending  to  se- 
duce and  corrupt  the  morals  of  the  American  youth  ;  to  take 
them  from  the  wise  and  wholesome  restraint  of  their  parents 
and  guardians,  and  expose  them  to  the  seduction  and  licen- 
tiousness of  the  camp,  before  they  had  arrived  to  years  of 
discretion  :  that  it  was  clothing  them  with  the  power  of  bind- 
ing themselves  by  their  contracts  in  a  most  important  point, 
when  by  the  laws  of  all  the  states  they  were  deemed  incapa- 
ble of  making  contracts :  that  it  was  unconstitutional,  as  it 
impaired  and  defeated  the  existing  obligations  of  a  lawful 
contract  between  the  minor  apprentice  and  his  master.  These 
objections  however,  were  overruled,  and  the  bill  with  this 
provision  passed,  on  the  ground  that  persons  of  this  age 
ever  constituted  an  important  part  of  the  military  national 
force :  that  such  persons  usually  made  the  best  soldiers, 
would  more  easily  learn,  and  readily  submit  to  the  discipline 
of  the  camp,  and  that  a  nation  at  war,  was  entitled  to  the 
services  of  all  its  citizens  capable  of  bearing  arms  for  its  de- 
fence. 

Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy.  The  secretary  of 
the  navy,  in  his  report  of  the  15th  of  November,  in  a  mild, 
qualified,  and  cautious  manner,  recommended  the  impressment 
of  American  seamen  for  the  supply  of  the  navy.  His  propo- 
sition was  thet  some  regular  system  be  established,  by  which 
the  voluntary  enlistments  for  the  navy  may  derive  occasional 
reinforcement  from  the  service  of  those  seamen,  who,  pursu- 
ing their  own  private  occupations,  are  exempt  from  public 


1814.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAB.  479^ 

service  of  any  kind ;  and  that,  for  this  purpose,  descriptive 
registers  be  kept  in  each  district,  of  all  the  seamen  belong- 
ing to  the  United  States ;  and  that  provision  be  made  by  law 
for  classing  them,  and  calling  into  public  service,  in  succession, 
for  reasonable  stated  periods,  such  portions  or  classes  as  the 
public  service  might  require.  He  also  recommended  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  board  of  navy  inspectors,  to  have  the  gene- 
ral superintendence  and  direction  of  the  affairs  of  the  navy, 
and  authority  over  all  the  officers  and  agents  employed  in 
that  department:  that  naval  stations  be  designated  v^^ithin 
the  United  States  by  convenient  boundaries,  and  an  officer 
of  rank  and  confidence  should  reside  in  each,  who  should, 
under  the  instructions  of  the  navy  board,  superintend  and 
control  the  officers  of  the  navy  within  his  district. 

In  the  senate,  Mr.  Tait,  from  the  committee  of  naval  aftairs, 
reported  a  resolution  for  the  appointment  of  admirals.  In 
congress,  the  project  of  the  secretary  for  registering  and 
classing  the  seamen,  and  calling  or  impressing  them  into 
public  service,  was  rejected,  more  on  account  of  the  popular 
odium  attached  to  the  idea  of  impressment  or  compulsory 
service,  than  any  intrinsic  objection  to  the  plan.  Experience 
has  demonstrated  that  a  navy  is  the  cheapest,  and  only  ade- 
quate mode  of  defence.  Should  the  United  States  ever  be 
engaged  in  another  war,  it  must  be  of  a  maritime  character. 
Government  has  done  much  for  its  sea-faring  citizens  :  the 
present  war  is  carried  on,  and  nearly  a  hundred  million  of 
dollars  has  been  expended,  in  vindication  of  their  rights. 
Their  brethren  on  land  have  marched  to  the  Canadian  bor- 
der, endured  every  hardship,  and  laid  down  their  lives  by 
thousands  in  support  of  their  cause.  The  government  then 
have  an  unquestionable  right  to  their  services  when  required 
to  man  its  navy.  The  most  desirable  mode  is  voluntary  en- 
listment ;  but  in  times  of  great  danger  this  source  may  fail,, 
and  resort  must  be  had  to  compulsion.  Here  two  plans  only 
present  themselves;  one  the  English  mode  of  sending  out 
j)ress  gangs,  seizing  sailors  wherever  they  can  be  found,  and 


480  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  «1 

dragging  them  on  board  the  ships  of  war;  the  other,  the  one 
pointed  out  by  the  secretary;  of  the  two,  no  American  can 
dofe-bt  which  is  the  most  ehgible.  The  proposition  of  the  naval 
committee  for  the  appointment  6t  admirals,  was  also  rejected  : 
congress  however,  in  pursuance  of  the  secretary's  plan,  es- 
tablished a  board  of  commissioners  for  the  naval  service,  to 
consist  of  three  officers  of  rank,  not  under  that  of  post  cap- 
tain. This  board  was  attached  to  the  office  of  the  secretary, 
and  under  his  superintendence,  to  discharge  many  of  the  im- 
portant duties  assigned  to  it,  relative  to  the  procurement  of 
naval  stores,  and  materials  for  the  construction  and  awna- 
ment  of  ships  of  war,  relative  to  their  employment,  and  to 
all  matters  connected  with  the  naval  establishment  of  the 
United  States. 

At  an  early  period  of  the  session,  communications  were 
received,  and  laid  before  congress  from  the  American  envoys 
at  Ghent,  which  precluded  all  reasonable  expectations  of 
peace.  They  contained  what  was  then  declared  to  be  the 
British  ultimatum,  and  which  was  such  as  none  but  a  con- 
quered country  would  accept.  No  alternative  therefore 
appeared,  but  to  prosecute  the  war  in  future  by  the  compul- 
sory service  of  the  citizens,  either  in  some  of  the  methods 
pointed  out  by  the  secretary  at  war,  or  in  some  other  manner 
to  be  devised  by  the  wisdom  of  congress. 

Peace,  While  difficulties  of  the  most  serious  nature  in  the 
military  and  fiscal  concerns  of  the  nation  seemed  to  be  ac- 
t;umulating  upon  the  administration;  and  congress  and  the 
people  were  looking  forward  with  great  anxiety  to  the  events 
of  the  coming  year  ;  the  long  wished  for  but  unexpected  news 
of  peace  arrived  on  the  13th  of  February,  and  relieved  the 
administration  and  the  country  from  all  embarrassment. 

At  no  period  since  the  darkest  time  of  the  revolutionary 
war  had  the  affairs  of  the  United  States  ever  assumed  so  un- 
promising an  aspect.  Congress,  convened  over  the  smoking 
ruins  of  the  capitol,  had  before  them  an  actual  deficit  of 
thirty-nine  millions,  and  an  estimate  for  the  service  of  the 


lb  14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  481- 

coming  year,  of  upwards  of  thirty  millions  to  be  supplied  only 
by  loans,  without  credit  to  borrow  a  dollar  on  any  terms  short 
of  such  as  indicated  a  bankruptcy ;  no  system  of  taxation 
adequate  to  the  payment  of  the  interest  of  the  moneys  re- 
quired: no  circulating  medium  in  which  the  public  had  any 
confidence,  for  the  transaction  of  private  business,  or  the 
collection  of  the  revenue :  the  union  invaded  at  each  ex- 
tremity: eighty  thousand  men  necessary  for  the  objects  of 
the  war,  and  none  to  be  obtained  but  by  a  conscription  or 
compulsory  draft  of  the  same  character,  and  embracing  as 
great  a  proportion  of  citizens,  as  had  ever  been  adopted  in 
France.  These  circumstances  prepared  the  people  and  the 
2;overnment  cordially  to  embrace  the  terms  of  peace. 


81 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


Kussian  Mediation  proposed  to  Mr.  Adams. — Communieated  tothe  Ame- 
rican Government. — Accepted. — Appointment  of  Envoys. — Their  In- 
structions.— Mediation  rejected  by  the  Prince  Reg-ent. — British 
Proposition  for  a  Direct  INeg-otiation. — Accepted  by  the  Ufiited 
States. — Appointment  of  Additional  Envoys. — Their  Instructions. — 
Meeting"  of  the  British  and  American  Envoys  at  Ghent. — British 
Propositions,  and  Ultimatum. — American  Propositions. — British  En- 
voys communicate  with  their  Government,  and  receive  different  In- 
structions.— Their  Ultimatum  waived. — The  Negotiations  proceed, 
and  terminate  in  a  Treaty  of  Peace. — Treaty  ratified  by  both  Gov- 
ernments.— Proceeding's  at  New-Orleans  immediately  after  the 
Peace. — Rejoicings  throughout  the  United  States. — President's  Mes- 
sage, communicating  the  subject  to  Congress. — Peace  Establishment. 
— Effects  of  the  War  on  the  National  Character. 


Russian  Mediation  proposed.  At  the  period  when  llie  in- 
telligence of  the  war  reached  the  emperor  of  Russia,  his  em- 
pire was  invaded  by  a  French  army  which  was  then  af*- 
jjroaching  his  capital,  and  threatened  the  subjugation  of  the 
nation.  The  whole  Russian  population  was  in  arms  for  the 
defence  of  their  teri'itory.  England  was  in  close  alliance  with 
Russia,  and  was  the  only  European  }:»ower,  not  under  the 
control  of  France.  Russia  depended  on  her  for  important 
aids  at  this  crisis.  It  was  therefore  with  the  deepest  solici- 
tude that  the  emperor  viewed  this  Avar,  which  would  necessa- 
rily cause  a  powerful  diversion  of  the  English  force  from 
their  common  enemy.  Russia  was  at  this  time  on  friendly 
terms  with  the  United  States,  and  a  considerable  commerce 
existed  between  the  two  countries,  profitable  to  both.  Pow- 
erful motives  of  interest  induced  the  Russian  government,  to 
desire  a  speedy  termination  of  the  American  war,  which  the) 
termed  an  episode  to  the  European.  On  the  20th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1813.  (»ount  Romanzeff  tlje  Russian  chancellor  and 


(814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  483 

secretary  of  state,  addressed  a  note  to  Mr.  Adams,  the  Ameri- 
can minister,  requesting  an  interview  with  him  the  next  eve- 
ning, at  which,  by  the  emperor's  command,  he  stated,  that 
having  made  peace  and  established  the  relations  of  amity 
and  commerce  with  Great  Britain,  the  emperor  was  much 
disappointed  to  find,  that  the  whole  benefit,  which  he  ex- 
pected his  subjects  to  derive  from  that  event  was  likely  to  be 
defeated  by  this  new  war.  That  it  had  occurred  to  the  em- 
peror that  an  amicable  arrangement  between  the  parties 
might  be  better  accomplished,  and  the  differences  more  easily 
accommodated  by  an  indirect,  than  by  a  direct  negotiation. 
That  his  majesty  had  directed  him  to  inquire  if  the  American 
ambassador  was  aware  of  any  difficulty  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States,  if  he  should  offer  his  mediation  for  the  puppose 
of  (effecting  a  pacification. 

Mr  Adams  replied,  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  speak 
on  the  subject  otherwise,  than  from  the  general  knowledge 
he  had  of  the  sentiments  of  his  government.  That  so  far 
from  knowing  what  their  ideas  were  as  to  the  continuance  of 
the  war,  he  had  not  at  that  moment  received  any  official  in- 
formation of  its  declaration.  But  that  he  well  knew  it  was 
with  reluctance  that  they  engaged  in  the  war,  and  he  was  very 
sure  that  whatever  determination  they  might  form  upon  the 
proposal  of  the  emperor's  mediation,  they  would  consider  his 
proposal  as  a  new  evidence  of  the  emperor's  friendship  for 
the  United  States  ;  and  he  knew  of  no  obstacle  or  difficulty 
which  would  occasion  them  to  decline  it.  The  American 
minister  proceeded  to  remark,  that  he  knew  the  war  must 
affect  unfavourably  the  interests  of  Russia,  be  highly  injuri- 
ous both  to  the  United  States  and  England,  and  no  good 
likely  to  result  from  it  to  any  one. 

The  Count  replied,  that  he  had  considered  it  altogether  in 
the  same  light,  and  so  had  the  emperor,  who  had  himself  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  authorizing  this  mediation.  He  thought 
that  an  indirect  negotiation  conducted  at  Peters  burgh,  aided 
by  the  conciliatory  wishe§  of  a  friend  to  both  parties  might 


484  HISTORY  OF    THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap  2i>' 

smooth  down  difficulties,  which  in  a  direct  discussion  between 
the  principals,  might  be  found  insuperable.  To  a  mutual 
friend,  each  party  might  exhibit  all  its  claims  and  complaints, 
without  danger  of  exciting  irritation,  or  raising  impediments. 
The  part  of  Russia  would  be  to  hear  both  sides,  and  use  her 
best  endeavours  to  conciliate  them.* 

On  the  8th  of  March,  1813,  Mr.  Daschkoff,  the  Russian 
minister  to  the  United  States,  by  order  of  the  em})eror,  commu- 
nicated his  offer  of  mediation  to  the  American  government;  ob- 
serving that  his  imperial  majesty  foresees  with  great  regret 
the  shackles  which  this  new  episode  opposes  to  the  commer- 
cial prosperity  of  nations.  The  love  of  humanity,  and  what 
the  emperor  owes  to  his  subjects,  w^hose  commerce  has  al- 
ready sufficiently  suffered,  command  him  to  do  every  thino- 
in  his  power  to  remove  the  evils  which  this  war  is  preparing 
for  those  nations  who  will  not  take  part  in  it.  His  majesty  is 
convinced  that  America  has  done  all  she  could  to  prevent 
this  rupture.  In  a  direct  discussion,  every  thing  would  tend 
to  excite  the  prejudices  and  asperities  of  the  parties  ;  to  pre- 
vent this,  his  majesty,  gratified  at  being  able  to  give  a  proof 
of  his  friendship  alike  to  the  king  of  Great  Britian  and  the 
United  States  offers  them  his  mediation;  and  should  be 
highly  gratified  if  a  like  disposition  on  the  part  of  the  United 
States  should  have  the  effect  of  stopping  the  progress  of  this 
new  war,  and  of  extinguishing  it  in  its  origin. 

Accepted  by  the  United  States.  This  offer  of  mediation 
was  readily  accepted  on  the  part  of  the  United  States;  and 
on  the  11th  of  March,  the  secretary  of  state  answered  the 
note  of  Mr.  Daschkoff  by  observing,  that  the  President  was 
highly  gratified  with  these  strong  proofs  of  that  humane  and 
enlightened  policy  which  had  characterized  the  reign  of  the 
emperor  of  Russia ;  and  saw  in  the  overture,  and  in  the  cir- 
cumstances attending  it,  the  friendly  interest  which  his  impe- 
rial majesty  takes  in  the  welfare  of  the  United  States.     A  war 


*  Mr.  Adams  to  the  secretary  of  state. 


1JJ14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  43.J 

between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  must  materially 
affect  the  commerce  of  Russia ;  and  it  was  worthy  of  the 
high  character  of  a  prince,  distinguished  by  his  attachment  to 
the  interests  of  his  subjects,  to  interpose  his  good  offices  foi- 
the  restoration  of  peace.  The  United  States,  conscious  that 
they  were  not  the  aggressors  in  the  contest,  but  on  the  con- 
trary, had  borne  wrongs  for  a  series  of  years  before  they 
appealed  to  arms  in  defence  of  their  rights,  are  ready  to  lay 
them  down  as  soon  as  Great  Britain  ceases  to  violate  them. 
Many  inconveniences  attending  a  direct  communication  be- 
teen  the  parties,  may  be  avoided  by  the  mediation  of  a  third 
power,  possessing  the  entire  confidence  of  both  belligerents^ 
To  the  claim  of  Russia  to  that  distinguished  consideration,  the 
President,  in  behalf  of  the  United  States,  expresses  his  full 
acknowledgment;  and  in  the  personal  qualities  and  high 
character  of  the  emperor,  the  President  finds  a  sacred  pledge 
for  the  justice  and  impartiality  which  may  be  expected  from 
his  decision.  Under  these  impressions,  the  President  will- 
ingly accepts  the  mediation  of  the  emperor  to  promote  peace 
between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain ;  and  such 
arrangements  will  be  made  without  delay,  as  will  afford  his 
imperial  majesty  the  opportunity  he  has  invited  to  interpose 
his  good  offices  for  the  accomplishment  of  so  desirable  an 
event.* 

Commissioners  appointed.  In  conformity  with  these  views, 
and  without  waiting  to  know  whether  Great  Britain  would 
accept  the  proposed  mediation,  the  President,  in  the  recess  of 
the  senate,  immediately  appointed  Albert  Gallatin,  and  James 
A.  Bayard,  in  conjunction  with  Mr.  Adams,  the  American 
minister  at  Petersburgh,  jointly  and  severally,  to  negotiate  a 
peace  with  Great  Britain,  under  the  mediation  of  Russia  : 
the   two  former  to  proceed  directly  from  the  United  States 

*  Correspondence  between  Mr.  DaschkofF  and  the  secretary  of  stale 
of  May  8th  and  17th,  1813. 


486  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR..  Chap.  S2. 

to  join  their  colleague  in  Russia  on  the  business  of  their  mis- 
sion. 

At  the  meeting  of  congress  in  the  following  May,  the  nomi- 
nation of  the  envoys  was  laid  before  the  senate  for  their  ap- 
probation. To  the  appointment  of  Adams,  and  Bayard, 
there  were  no  personal  objections.  But  the  senate,  impressed 
with  a  sense  of  the  singularity  of  the  measure  of  appointing 
and  sending  envoys  to  Russia,  to  negotiate  a  peace  with 
Great  Britain,  without  any  assurance  or  intimation  that  that 
power  would  accede  to  the  negotiation,  hesitated  to  confirm 
the  nominations.  To  them  it  appeared  that  this  measure, 
manifesting  an  over-anxiety  for  peace,  was  calculated  to  de- 
feat the  object.  Relying  however  on  the  wisdom  of  the 
executive,  and  unwilling  to  take  any  measure  which  should 
have  the  appearance  of  opposition  to  peace,  the  nominations 
of  Adams  and  Bayard  were  confirmed.  Mr.  Gallatin  being 
secretary  of  the  treasury,  and  the  duties  of  that  office  being 
at  this  time  of  the  most  urgent  nature,  his  appointment  was 
strenuously  opposed.  A  resolution  passed  the  senate,  de- 
claring it  incompatible  with  the  public  interest  to  unite  the 
offices  of  secretary  of  the  treasury  and  envoy  to  a  foreign 
court  in  the  same  person:  and  another  inquiring  of  the 
President  whether  the  office  of  secretary  of  the  treasury  was 
vacated  by  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Gallatin,  and  his  accept- 
ance of  the  office  of  envoy  ;  and  if  not,  under  what  authority 
and  by  whom  the  duties  of  that  office  were  to  be  discharged, 
in  his  absence.  In  reply,  the  President  stated,  that  the  office 
was  not  vacated,  and  that  the  duties  would  be  discharged, 
during  the  absence  of  Mr.  Gallatin,  by  the  secretary  of  the 
navy.  The  senate  then  appointed  a  committee  to  confer 
with  the  President  upon  the  subject.  On  their  waiting  on 
him,  he  observed,  that  he  regretted  that  the  appointment  of 
the  envoys  was  made  under  circumstances  which  deprived 
him  of  the  aid  and  advice  of  the  senate  :  he  regretted  also 
that  they  had  not  taken  the  same  view  of  the  subject  that  he 
had  done.     As  a  co-ordinate  branch  of  the  government,  he 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  487 

could  hold  no  conference  with  a  committee  of  the  senate,  on 
the  subject  of  the  appointment.  iThat  in  relation  to  treaties, 
and  appointments  to  office,  the  President  and  senate  were 
independent  of,  and  co-ordinate  with,  each  other.  If  they 
agree,  the  appointments  are  made ;  if  they  disagree,  they 
fail.  If  the  senate  wish  for  any  information  previous  to  their 
final  decision,  the  practice  has  been,  ever  keeping  in  view  the 
constitutional  relation  between  the  President  and  senate,  to 
request  the  executive  to  furnish  it,  or  to  refer  the  subject  to  a 
committee  of  their  body,  who  might  communicate  on  the  subject 
with  the  head  of  the  proper  department.  The  appointment  of  a 
committee  of  the  senate  to  confer  immediately  with  the  execu- 
tive himself,  seems  to  lose  sight  of  the  co-ordinate  relation 
between  the  executive  and  senate,  which  the  constitution  has 
established.  The  President  added,  he  was  entirely  per- 
suaded of  the  purity  of  the  intentions  of  the  senate  in  the 
course  they  had  taken,  and  with  which,  according  to  his 
view  of  the  subject,  he  could  not  accord  :  that  they  would  be 
cheerfully  furnished  with  all  the  suitable  information  on  the 
subject  in  possession  of  the  executive,  in  any  mode  consistent 
with  the  principles  of  the  constitution  and  the  settled  practice 
under  it.  On  the  question  to  advise  and  consent  to  the  ap-^ 
pointment  of  Mr..  Gallatin,  in  the  senate  the  yeas  w^ere  17 
and  the  nays  18.*  Mr.  Gallatin  was,  however,  long  before 
this,  under  the  appointment  of  the  President  in  the  recess  of 
the  senate,  on  his  way  to  Russia,  and  his  appointment  was- 
afterwards  confirmed. 

Their  Instructions.  On  the  15th  of  April,  the  envoys  were 
fornished  with  their  full  powers,  and  with  their  instructions 
in  detail  from  the  department  of  state.  In  these  it  is  stated, 
that  '^  the  impressment  of  of  seamen,  and  illegal  blockades,  as 
more  particularly  exemplified  in  the  orders  in  council  are  the 
principal  causes  of  the  war ;  had  not  Great  Britain  ob- 
stinately persisted  in  the  violation  of  these  important  rights, 

*  Journals  of  the  senate.  June  1813. 


488  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2:if. 

war  would  not  have  been  declared.  It  will  cease  as  soon 
as  their  rights  are  respected.  The  proposition  made  by 
Mr.  Russell  to  the  British  government  immediately  after  the 
war,  and  the  answer  given  soon  after  to  Admiral  Warren's 
letter,  show  the  grounds  on  which  the  United  States  are  will- 
ing to  adjust  the  controversy  relative  to  impressment.  This 
is  further  evinced  by  the  report  of  the  committee  of  foreign 
relations,  and  the  act  of  congress  in  consequence  thereof. 
To  accomodate  this  important  difference,  the  United  States  are 
wiUing  to  exclude  British  seamen  altogether  from  the  Ameri- 
can service.  It  is  fairly  to  be  presumed  that  if  this  law  is 
carried  into  effect,  it  will  exclude  all  British  seamen  from 
American  vessels.  As  a  further  ground,  the  President  is 
willing  to  stipulate,  that  all  native  British  subjects  who  shall 
hereafter  be  naturalized,  shall  be  with  this  condition,  thatlhcy 
be  not  employed  in  the  American  sea  service. 

In  requiring  that  the  stipulation  to  exclude  British  seamen 
from  American  vessels,  with  the  regulations  for  carrying  it  in- 
to effect,  be  reciprocal  ;  it  is  desirable  that  a  provision  be 
be  made,  by  which  the  United  States  might  dispense  with  the 
obligation  it  imposes  on  American  citizens.  The  liberal  spi- 
rit of  the  laws  and  government  of  the  United  States,  is  un- 
friendly to  restrictions  on  their  citizens,  such  at  least  as  ard 
imposed  on  British  subjects  to  prevent  their  becoming  mem- 
bers of  other  societies.  To  secure  the  citizens  of  the  United 
States  against  impressment  is  the  object ;  a  clear  and  distinct 
provision  must  be  made  against  this  practice  ;  the  precise  form 
is  not  insisted  on,  provided  the  import  be  explicit.  All  that  ie 
I'cquired  is,  that  in  consideration  of  the  act  to  be  performed  on 
the  part  of  the  United  States,  the  British  government  shall 
stipulate  in  some  adequate  manner  to  terminate  or  forbear 
the  practice.  It  has  been  suggested  as  an  expedient  mode 
of  adjusting  the  controversy,  that  British  cruisers  shall  have 
right  to  search  American  vessels  for  their  seamen  ;  but  that 
'heir  commanders  shall  be  subject  to  |x;nalties  in  case  they 
make  mistakes  and  take  American  citizens.     By  such  an  ar 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  489 

rangement,  the  British  government  would  acquire  the  right  of 
search  for  seamen,  and  with  it,  that  of  impressing  from  Amer- 
ican vessels  the  subjects  of  all  other  powers.  By  admitting 
the  right,  the  principle  is  given  up,  and  the  door  opened 
to  every  kind  of  abuse.  The  same  objection  is  applicable 
to  every  other  arrangement,  which  withholds  the  respect  due 
to  the  American  flag,  by  not  allowing  it  to  protect  all  who 
sail  under  it. 

As  a  necessary  incident  to  any  mode  of  adjustment  it  is  ex- 
pected that  all  American  seamen  who  have  been  impressed 
will  be  discharged,  and  those  who  have  been  naturalized  tir  - 
der  British  laws  by  compulsive  service  be  permitted  to  with- 
draw. The  great  object  with  regard  to  impressment  is,  that 
the  American  flag  shall  protect  its  crew  :  providing  for  this  in 
a  satisfactory  manner,  the  envoys  are  empowered  eflectually 
to  secure  Great  Britain  against  the  employment  of  her  sea- 
men in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  and  to  adopt  any 
measures  consistently  with  the  spirit  of  the  constitution,  which 
shall  be  likely  to  accomplish  the  object.  To  the  exclusion  of 
British  seamen  from  the  American  service  no  repugnance  is 
Celt.  It  is  a  growing  sentiment  in  the  United  States,  that  they 
ought  to  depend  on  their  own  population  for  the  supply  of 
their  ships  of  war,  and  merchant  service  ;  and  experience 
has  shown  that  it  is  an  abundant  resource. 

A  strong  desire  has  heretofore  been  expressed  by  the 
British  government,  to  obtain  from  the  United  States  an  ar- 
rangement to  prevent  the  detention  of  British  seamen  from 
their  vessels  in  American  ports.  It  cannot  be  doubted 
that  a  stipulation  to  that  effect  would  be  highly  satisfac- 
tory as  well  as  useful  to  Great  Britain.  This  alone,  it  is 
presumed,  will  furnish  a  strong  inducement  to  enter  into 
a  satisfactory  arrangement  on  the  subject  of  impress- 
ment. The  claim  is  not  inadmissible,  especially  as  the 
United  States  have  a  reciprocal  interest  in  the  restoration  of 
deserters  from  American  vessels  in  British  porta.  An  article 
such  as  has  been  heretofore  authorized  by  the  United 
States  may  be  adopted,  making  it  the  duty  of  eacti  party  to 

62 


4&0  HtSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Cbap.^^ 

deliver  them  up.  On  the  right  of  the  United  States  to  be  ex- 
empted from  the  degrading  practice  of  impressment,  it  is  need- 
less to  add,  the  practice  is  utterly  repugnant  to  the  law  of  na- 
fions,  supported  by  no  treaty,  nor  acquiesced  in  by  any 
nation.  A  submission  to  it  by  the  United  States  would  be 
the  abandonment  in  favour  of  Great  Britain  of  all  claim  to 
neutral  rights,  and  of  all  other  rights  on  the  ocean.  The 
practice  is  not  founded  on  any  belligerent  right :  the  greatest 
extent  to  which  the  belligerent  claim  has  been  carried  over 
the  vessels  of  neutral  nations,  has  been  to  board  and  take  from 
them  persons  employed  in  the  land  and  sea  service  of  an  en- 
emy, goods  contraband  of  war,  and  enemy's  property.  In 
all  the  discussions  of  questions  on  neutral  rights,  nothing  of 
the  British  claim  of  impressment  is  found,  no  acknowledg- 
ment of  it  in  any  treaty,  or  submission  to  it  by  any  power. 
This  claim  has  forthe  first  time  been  set  up  against  the  United 
States  only.  The  claim  is  in  fact  traced  to  another  source? 
the  allegiance  due  by  British  subjects  to  their  sovereign,  and 
his  right  by  virtue  thereof  to  their  service. 

"  Allegiance,"  the  instructions  proceed  to  remark,  "  is  ^ 
political  relation  between  the  sovereign  and  his  people,  which 
binds  the  latter  in  return  for  the  protection  they  receive. 
These  reciprocal  duties  have  the  same  limit ;  they  are  con- 
fined to  the  dominions  of  the  sovereign,  beyond  which  he  has 
no  rights,  can  afford  no  protection,  and  can  of  course  claim 
no  allegiance.  A  citizen  or  subject  of  one  power  entering 
the  dominions  of  another,  owes  allegiance  to  the  latter  in  re- 
turn for  the  protection  he  receives.  Whether  the  sovereign  has 
a  right  to  claim  the  service  of  such  of  his  subjects  as  have  left 
his  own  dominions,  is  a  question  respecting  which  a  difTerencc 
of  opinion  may  exist.  Certain  it  is  that  no  sovereign  has  a 
right  to  pursue  his  subjects  into  the  territory  of  another,  be  the 
object  what  it  may.  Such  an  entry,  without  the  consent  of 
the  other  power,  would  be  a  violation  of  its  territory.  That 
the  vessels  of  a  nation  ^re  considered  as  a  partof  the  territo- 
ry, with  the  exception  of  the  belhgerent  right  only,  is  a  prin- 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE   WAR.  431 

ciple  too  well  established  to  be  brought  into  discussion. 
Each  has  the  exclusive  jurisdiction  over  its  own  vessels.  Its 
laws  govern  in  them,  and  offences  against  their  laws 
are  punishable  by  its  tribunals  only.  The  flag  of  a  nation 
protects  every  thing  sailing  under  it  in  time  of  peace ;  and  in 
time  of  war  likewise  with  the  exception  of  the  belligereut 
right  growing  out  of  a  state  of  war.  An  entry  on  board  of 
the  vessels  of  one  power  by  the  cruisers  of  another,  in  any 
other  case,  and  the  exercise  of  any  other  authority  over  them, 
is  a  violation  of  right,  and  an  act  of  hostility. 

The  British  government,  aware  of  the  Correctness  of  this 
doctrine,  now  say,  they  do  not  contend  that  British  cruisers 
have  a  right  to  pursue  and  search  American  vessels  for  their 
seamen.  But  having  a  right  to  search  them  for  other  objects/ 
and  being  lawfully  on  board,  and  finding  British  seamen 
there,  they  have  a  right  to  impress,  and  bring  them  away  un- 
der the  claim  of  allegiance.  When  we  see  a  systematic  pur- 
suit of  American  vessels  by  British  cruisers,  and  the  impress- 
ment of  seamen  from  them,  not  at  a  port  of  the  enemy  where 
a  regular  blockade  has  been  instituted,  but  on  the  ocean,  on 
the  American  coast  and  harbours,  it  is  difficult  to  believe  that 
impressment  is  not  the  real  motive,  and  the  other  only  a  pre- 
text. The  British  government  founds  its  right  of  impress- 
ment on  that  of  allegiance,  which  is  a  permanent  right  equally 
applicable  to  peace  and  war;  the  right  of  impressment 
therefore,  from  vessels  of  other  powers,  must  likewise  be 
equally  permanent;  but  it  would  not  do  to  take  this  broad 
gr6Und,  lest  the  injustice  and  extravagance  of  the  pretension^ 
should  excite  the  astonishment  and  indignation  of  other 
powers,  to  whom  it  would  be  equally  applicable.  To  claim 
it  as  a  belligerent  right  would  be  equally  extravagant  and 
absurd,  no  trace  of  it  being  found  in  the  belligerent  code. 
The  British  government  are  therefore  reduced  to  a  very  eni- 
barrassing  dilemma  :  to  acknowledge  that  they  could  not  sup- 
port the  claim  on  either  principle  would  be  to  give  it  up,  anc! 
yet  it  could  rely  on  neitjjei*.    It  tjierefdre  ^il^avrfy/ed  to 


492  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2:2. 

draw  some  aid  from  both;  and  from  two  indefensible  propo- 
sitions to  make  out  one  that  was  tenable.  A  state  of  war  ex-- 
ists  which  brings  the  parties  together.  Great  Britain  is  a 
belligerent,  and  the  United  States  are  a  neutral  power.  Bri- 
tish officers  have  now  a  right  to  board  and  search  American 
vessels,  for  persons  in  their  enemy's  service^  goods  contra- 
band of  war,  and  enemy's  property.  Allegiance,  which  is 
an  attribute  of  sovereignty,  now  comes  to  her  aid,  and  com- 
municates all  the  necessary  power ;  the  complete  right  and 
sovereignty  of  the  vessel,  is  now  transferred  to  Great  Britain. 
On  this  foundation  the  British  government  has  raised  the 
monstrous  superstructure. 

In  further  justification  of  the  practice,  the  British  ministry 
remark,  that  they  exercise  no  right  which  they  are  not  wiUing 
to  accede  to  the  United  States.  This  semblance  of  equality 
disappears  on  a  moment's  examination.  It  is  impossible  for 
the  United  States  to  take  advantage  of  it..  Impressment  is 
not  an  American  practice,  but  utterly  repugnant  to  her  con- 
stitution and  laws;  in  offering  to  reciprocate  it,  nothing  was 
oifered,  as  Great  Britain  well  knew ;  a  reciprocation  of  the 
practice  would  be  no  equivalent  to  the  United  States.  The 
exercise  of  a  right  in  common  at  sea  by  two  nations,  each 
over  the  vessels  of  the  other ;  the  one  powerful,  and  the 
other  comparatively  weak,  would  be  to  place  the  latter  com- 
pletely at  the  mercy  of  the  former.  Great  Britain,  with  her 
vast  navy,  would  soon  be  the  only  power  which  made  im- 
pressments. She  has  thirty  ships  of  war  to  one  of  the  United 
States,  and  would  profit  by  the  arrangement  in  that  propor- 
tion. Besides  impressment  is  a  practice  incident  to  war 
only,  in  which  view,  the  inequality  is  not  less  glaring;  she 
being  at  least  thirty  years  at  war  to  one  of  the  United  States. 

Had  Great  Britain  found  the  employment  of  her  seamen  in 
the  American  service  injurious  to  her,  and  been  disposed  to 
respect  the  most  sacred  rights  of  the  American  nation,  her 
regular  and  only  legitimate  course  would  have  been  in  the 
Orst  inslauQe  tQ  have  remonstrated  (q  the  American  govern- 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAK.  4i^3 

ment,  and  proposed  a  remedy.  Had  reasonable  redress  been 
refused,  the  British  government  would  have  had  some  plea 
for  taking  the  remedy  into  their  own  hands.  Such  complaint 
was  never  made,  except  in  defence  of  the  practice  of  impress- 
ment, and  in  the  mean  time  the  usage  had  progressed;  and 
with  all  its  abuses,  had  resistance  been  longer  delayed,  might 
have  become  a  law.  The  origin  and  progress  of  this  usurpa- 
tion afford  strong  illustrations  of  the  British  policy.  The 
practice  and  the  claim  began  together  soon  after  the  revolu- 
tionary war,  and  was  applicable  to  deserters  only  :  it  next 
extended  to  all  British  seamen  ;  then  to  all  British  subjects, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  emigrants  from  Ireland,  who  not  being 
sea-faring  men,  would  not  have  been  subject  to  impressment 
in  British  ports;  and  finally  it  was  extended  to  Swedes, 
Danes,  and  others  known  not  to  be  British  subjects,  and  by 
their  protections  appearing  to  be  citizens  of  the  United 
States. 

The  mediation  oifered  by  Russia,  presents  to  Great  Britain, 
as  well  as  to  the  United  States,  a  fair  opportunity  of  accom- 
modating this  controversy  with  honour.  The  interposition 
of  so  distinguished  a  power,  friendly  to  both  parties,  cannot 
on  any  just  ground  be  declined  by  either,  especially  by  Great 
Britain,  between  whom  and  Russia  there  exists  a  very  inter- 
esting relation.  Should  Great  Britain  decline  an  accommo- 
dation upon  the  terms  offered,  her  motive  cannot  be  mistaken. 
The  cause  of  the  United  States  would  in  that  case  become 
the  common  cause  of  nations.  They  would  all  find  in  the 
conduct  of  Great  Britain,  an  unequivocal  determination  to 
destroy  the  rights  of  other  flags,  and  to  usurp  the  absolute 
dominion  of  the  ocean. 

The  adjustment  of  the  controversy  relating  to  impressment 
only,  though  very  important,  would  leave  much  unfinished. 
Almost  every  neutral  right  has  been  violated,  and  its  viola- 
tion persisted  in,  until  war  was  declared.  A  strong  hope  is 
entertained  that  the  British  commissioners  will  have  full 
powers  to  adjust  all  these  grounds  of  controversy  in  a  satis- 


494  mSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap,  n^ 

factory  manner.  The  violation  of  neutral  rights  by  illegal 
blockades,  carried  to  an  enormous  extent  by  the  orders  in 
council,  was  a  principal  cause  of  the  war ;  these  orders  and 
blockades  being  now  repealed,  all  that  is  expected,  is,  that 
the  British  government  should  unite  in  a  more  precise  defini- 
tion of  blockade. 

An  interference  with  the  American  commerce  between  en- 
emy's colonies,  and  the  parent  country,  was  among  the  viola- 
tions of  neutral  rights  committed  by  Great  Britain  in  the  pre- 
sent war  with  France.  It  took  place  in  1805,  did  extensive 
injury,  and  produced  universal  excitement.  The  capture 
by  Great  Britain  of  almost  all  the  islands  of  her  enemies, 
has  very  much  diminished  the  importance  of  this  subject ;  but 
as  these  may  be  restored  by  a  treaty  of  peace,  it  merits  partic- 
ular attention.  Unless  a  trade  with  them  can  be  authorized  to 
a  proper  extent,  and  without  a  relinquishment  of  the  princi- 
ple claimed  by  the  United  States,  it  will  be  best  that  the 
treaty  should  be  silent  upon  the  subject.  The  practice  of 
Great  Britain  to  interdict  the  passage  of  neutral  vessels  with 
their  cargoes  from  one  port  to  another  of  an  enemy,  is  illegal 
and  injurious  to  the  commerce  of  neutral  powers ;  still  more 
unjustifiable  is  the  attempt  to  interdict  their  passage  from  a 
port  of  one  independent  nation  to  that  of  another,  on  the  pre- 
tence that  they  are  both  enemies."  The  envoys  were  in- 
structed to  obtain,  if  possible,  security  against  the  violation  of 
these  rights.  They  were  authorized  to  conclude  a  peace,  in 
case  a  satisfactory  stipulation  against  impressment  could  be 
obtained,  one  which  should  secure,  under  the  American  flag, 
protection  for  the  crew.  If  this  encroachment  is  not  pro- 
vided against,  the  instructions  observe,  "  the  United  States 
have  appealed  to  arms  in  vain.  If  your  efforts  to  accomplish 
it  should  fail,  all  further  negotiation  must  cease,  and  you  will 
return  home  without  delay."* 

*  Instructions  io  the  American  Envoys,  April  15,  1813. 


i814.  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR.  495 

With  these  instructions  the  envoys  sailed  from  the  United 
States  on  the  16th  of  May,  for  Petersburgh,  to  negotiate 
a  peace  with  Great  Britain,  without  knowing  when,  or  wheth- 
er ever,  they  should  meet  British  commissioners  on  the  sub- 
ject. 

Mediation  rejected  by  Great  Britain,  The  British  cabinet 
took  a  very  different  course  in  relation  to  the  mediation.  They 
were  well  aware  that  their  claims  were  of  a  nature  not  to  be 
submitted  to  the  arbitration  or  mediation  of  any  third  power. 
They  were  usurpations  of  neutral  rights,  to  be  maintained  only 
by  the  overbearing  power  of  her  navy.  They  could  have  no 
expectation  that  these  claims  would  be  recognised  by  any  sove- 
reign as  a  part  of  the  code  of  nations,  to  which  his  own  sub- 
jects might  in  turn,  be  obliged  to  submit.  Russia,  in  compar- 
ison with  Great  Britain,  had  always  been  much  the  weaker 
maritime  power,  seldom  engaged  in  naval  war,  always  an  ad- 
vocate for  neutral  rights,  and  opposed  to  British  belligerent 
claims.  The  British  cabinet  had  not  forgotten  that  in  the  war 
of  the  American  revolution,  when  Great  Britain  was  engaged 
in  a  maritime  war  with  France  and  Spain,  Russia  set  on  foot, 
and  placed  herself  at  the  head  of  an  armed  neutrality,  em- 
bracing Sweden  and  Denmark,  in  support  of  the  same  princi- 
ples, impressment  excepted,  for  which  the  United  States  were 
now  contending.  However  intimate  and  friendly  the  rela- 
tions between  Great  Britain  and  Russia  might  now  be,  it  was 
little  to  be  expected  that  the  British  cabinet  would  submit 
what  they  claimed  to  be  their  maritime  rights  to  a  power 
which  had  always  opposed  them. 

On  the  first  of  September,  1813,  the  British  ministry, 
after  having  held  the  proposition  of  Russia  for  a  media- 
tion under  consideration  for  nearly  a  year,  reciprocated 
the  friendly  professions  of  his  imperial  majesty,  express- 
ed their  desire  of  peace,  and  duly  appreciated  the  pure 
and  friendly  motives  from  which  it  proceeded:  but  re- 
marked that  their  contest  with  America  related  to  certain 
principles  and  rights  of  the  British  nation,  which  were  not  of 


496  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  £;.>. 

a  nature  to  be  submitted  to  any  foreign  power  ;  and  though 
the  Prince  Regent,  on  this  account,  found  himself  in  a  situa- 
tion not  to  accept  the  offered  mediation,  yet  he  was  very  de- 
sirous of  giving  effect,  in  a  different  mode,  to  the  benevolent 
wishes  which  his  imperial  majesty  had  expressed  of  seeing  the 
war  terminated  to  the  mutual  satisfaction  of  both  govern- 
ments. That  with  this  view  having  learned  that  the  Ameri- 
can envoys  for  negotiating  a  peace  under  the  mediation  of  his 
imperial  majesty  had  arrived  in  Russia,  notwithstanding  he 
finds  himself  under  the  necessity  of  not  accepting  the  nego- 
tiation of  any  friendly  power,  in  the  question  which  forms 
the  principal  subject  of  dispute  between  the  two  states,  yet  he 
is  ready  to  nominate  plenipotentiaries,  to  treat  directly  with 
the  American  envoys,  and  his  Royal  Highness  sincerely  wish- 
es, that  these  conferences  might  result  in  re-establishing  be- 
tween the  two  nations,  the  blessings  and  reciprocal  advan- 
tages of  peace.  If,  through  the  good  offices  of  his  imperial 
majesty,  this  proposition  should  be  accepted,  the  Prince  Re- 
gent is  desirous  that  the  conferences  should  be  held  at  Lon- 
don ;  but  if  this  presents  insuperable  objections,  Gottenburgh 
may  be  substituted. 

The  duties  which  the  American  government  expected  of 
his  imperial  majesty,  in  consequence  of  his  mediation,  were, 
to  endeavour,  by  friendly  conferences  with  both  parties,  to 
bring  them  to  such  concessions  as  should  lead  to  peace  ;  that 
he  should  impartially  hear  the  claims  advanced  on  both  sides, 
and  determine  on  their  justice,  and  endeavour  to  bring  the 
party,  whose  claims  in  his  opinion  were  not  well  founded,  to 
relinquish  them  ;  or,  in  case  that  could  not  be  effected,  to 
point  out  some  middle  course  on  which  the  parties  might  meety 
and  by  all  fair  and  honourable  methods,  to  bring  about  a  re- 
conciliation :  but  as  a  mediator,  he  was  not  expected  to  guar- 
ranty  or  enforce  his  decisions.  The  parties  would  still  be 
at  liberty  to  reject  them,  and  the  only  consequence  would  be, 
the  party  refusing  to  abide  by  the  opinions  of  the  mediator, 
would  afterwards  pursue  the  war,  under  the  imputation  of 


T«14.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  497 

being  the  aggressor.  But  even  this  was  too  much  to  be  haz- 
arded by  the  British  cabinet. 

Proposition  for  a  direct  Kegotiation.  On  the  4th  of  No- 
vember, Lord  Castlereagh  communicated  to  the  American 
secretary  of  state  a  proposition  from  the  British  govjernmefel 
for  a  direct  negotiation  at  Gottenburgh. 

Accepted.  This  proposition  reached  Washington  on  the 
1st  of  January,  1814,  and  was  promptly  accepted. 
Messrs.  Clay  and  Russell  were  added  to  the  commis- 
sioners, and  on  the  28th  of  January  received  their  insti-ue- 
tions  from  the  department  of  state,  referring  them  to  those 
of  the  15th  of  the  preceding  April  to  the  commissioners  under 
the  proposed  Russian  mediation,  as  the  basis  of  their  negotia- 
tions. On  the  subject  of  impressment,  the  secretary  remarks^ 
I  have  nothing  to  add  ;  the  sentiments  of  the  President  re- 
main unchanged;  this  degrading  practice  must  cease;  the 
American  flag  must  protect  its  crew,  or  the  United  States 
cannot  consider  themselves  as  an  independent  nation.  In 
accepting  the  overture  of  the  British  government,  to  treat  inde- 
pendently of  the  Russian  mediati<On,  the  United  States  have 
acted  on  principles' which  have  governed  themiu  every  trans- 
action relating  to  peace  since  the  war.  Had  the  British  gov- 
ernment accepted  of  the  mediation,  the  United  States  woulcl 
have  treated,  for  themselves,  independency  of  gny  other 
power.  In  agreeing  to  treat  directly  with  Great  Britain,  no 
concession  is  contemplated  in  any  point  in  controversy.  The 
same  desire  is  cherished  to  preserve  a  good  understand- 
ing with  Russia  and  the  other  Baltic  powers  as  if  the  nego- 
tiation had  taken  place  under  the  proposed  mediation.* 

Witb  these  instructions,  Messrs.  Clay  and  Russell  sailed 
from  the  United  States  on  the  25th  February  to  join  their  col- 
leagues. The  American  commissioners  assembled  at  Gotten- 
burgh in  April  1814  ;  and  after  waiting  there  a  considerable 
time  in  expectation  of  meeting  the  British  commissioners,  they 

*  Instructions  of  the  28lth  Ja,miary,  1814. 
63 


4»8  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  21'. 

received  a  proposition  from  the  British  government  to  transfer 
the  negotiations  to  Ghent.  This  was  accepted,  and  the  Amer- 
ican commissioners  thereupon  immediatelyrepaired  to  that  city. 

Details  of  the  British.  As  Great  Britain  was  the  proposer 
of  this  direct  negotiation  it  was  justly  expected  of  her,  that  i^- 
should  not  on  her  account  suffer  any  delay.  But  having  kept 
the  American  government  in  suspense  a  year,  on  the  subject 
of  the  Russian  mediation  ;  it  was  nine  months  after  the  pro- 
position for  a  direct  negotiation  was  made  before  the  arrival 
of  her  commissioners  at  the  place  by  her  designated  for  the 
meeting.  No  satisfactory  apology  was  given  for  this  con- 
duct ;  it  is  to  be  accounted  for  only  by  a  reference  to  the  po- 
litical state  of  Europe.  When  the  proposition  was  first  made, 
Bonaparte,  though  his  affairs  were  in  the  wane,  was  yet  a 
formidable  enemy  to  England,  and  all  her  exertions  were 
still  important  in  Europe.  At  the  time  the  British  commis- 
sioners were  appointed,  Bonaparte  was  subdued,  peace  had 
been  established  in  Europe,  and  the  choicest  of  the  British 
forces  had  been  selected  and  sent  to  America.  This  was 
deemed  by  her  a  favourable  time  to  negotiate  :  not  only  to 
maintain  and  enforce  all  her  maritime  claims,  but  also  to 
bring  forward  others  of  a  new  and  inadmissible  character. 
Her  commissioners  were  instructed  to  give  up  none  of  her 
maritime  claims,  to  accede  to  no  argreement  to  compensate  for 
past  injuries  ;  but  to  bringforward  claims  for  cessions  of  territo- 
ry, and  other  sacrifices  to  which  none  but  a  conquered  coun- 
try could  submit.  At  length,  on  the  6th  of  August,  1814. 
the  British  commissioners,  Admiral  Lord  Gambier,  Henry 
Golburn,  and  William  Adams,  arrived  at  Ghent. 

The  pohtical  changes  in  Europe  had  produced  an  entirely 
different  view  on  the  subject  of  the  negotiations  in  the  Ameri- 
can cabinet.  All  expectation  of  conquest  on  the  Canadian 
frontier  was  at  an  end.  The  ability  of  their  enemy  to  ravage 
and  desolate  the  frontier  and  sea-board,  was  now  alarmingly 
increased,  and  with  their  ability,  their  disposition  to  do  it  had 
been  abundantly  manifested.     At  the  same  time  the  difficul- 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  499 

ties  and  embarrassments  attending  the  raising  and  supporting 
a  military  force  sufficient  to  meet  those  events  were  also  in- 
creased. The  state  of  the  finances  and  the  public  credit  had 
assumed  a  most  unpromising  aspect.  If  peace  could  be 
made  upon  the  principle  of  restoring  things  to  the  state  they 
were  in  before  the  war,  there  was  no  possible  inducement  to 
continue  it.  The  subject  of  impressment  had  now  ceased  to 
be  of  any  practical  importance.  Great  Britain,  having  more 
seamen  tfcan  she  wanted  on  hand,  had  no  inducement  to  in- 
crease their  numbers  from  American  vessels.  It  was  fiot  ex- 
pected that  she  would  now  yield  a  point,  for  which  she  hazard- 
ed a  war  under  the  most  unfavourable  circumstances. 

JVezo  Instruction  to  the  American  Envoys,  In  this  view, 
the  American  cabinet,  on  the  25th  of  June,  revised  their  in- 
structions of  the  15th  of  April,  1813,  and  28th  of  January^ 
1814,  and  transmitted  to  their  envoys  others  of  a  different 
character,  and  adapted  to  the  crisis.  They  were  instructed 
that  in  case  no  stipulation  could  be  obtained,  neither  rehn- 
quishing  the  claim,  or  discontinuing  the  practice  of  impress- 
ment, they  might  concur  in  an  article  stipulating  that  this 
subject,  together  with  the  subject  of  trade  and  navigation  gen- 
erally, might  be  referred  to  a  separate  negotiation,  to  be  under- 
taken without  delay,  and  that  in  the  mean  time  all  rights 
should  remain  as  they  then  were.  The  instructions  remark 
that  the  United  States  having  resisted  by  war  the  practice  of 
impressment  and  continued  the  w^ar  until  the  practice  had 
ceased  by  a  peace  in  Europe,  their  object  had  been  essen- 
tially obtained  for  the  present,  and  it  was  hoped  that  the  con- 
templated arrangement  would  take  effect  before  a  new  war 
in  Europe  would  furnish  occasion  for  a  renewal  of  the  prac- 
tice. Two  days  afterwards,  in  consequence  of  letters  re- 
ceived from  Messrs*  Gallatin  and  Bayard,  intimating  that  all 
expectation  of  obtaining  any  stipulation  on  the  subject  of  im- 
pressment would  be  hopeless,  the  commissioners  wei  e  inform- 
ed that  on  mature  consideration  it  had  been  decided,  that  un- 
der all  the  circumstances  incident  to  a  prosecution  of  the^war. 


b'%fi  lilSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2e. 

they  might  omit  any  stipulation  on  the  subject  of  impress- 
ment, if  indispensably  necessary  to  attain  a  peace.  This  ex- 
pedient was  not  to  be  resorted  to  until  every  effort  to  termi- 
nate the  controversy  in  a  more  satisfactory  manner  had 
failed.* 

On  the  1 1th  of  August,  the  commissioners  were  further  in- 
structed that  government  would  go  no  further,  because  it  will 
,make  no  sacrifice  of  the  rights  or  honour  of  the  nation.  If 
Great  Britain  is  not  willing  to  terminate  the  war  on  these 
terms,  it  is  because  she  has  other  objects  in  view,  than  those 
for  which  she  has  hitherto  professed  to  contend.  That  there 
are  sueh,  there  is  much  reason  to  apprehend.  These,  what- 
ever they  may  be,  must  and  will  be  resisted  by  the  United 
States.  The  conflict  may  be  severe,  but  it  will  be  borne 
with  firmness. t 

The  American  commissioners,  furnished  with  instructions 
so  liberal,  authorizing  them  to  waive  every  point  for  which 
the  war  was  commenced,  it  was  hoped,  would  be  able  to 
-bring  the  negotiation  to  a  speedy  conclusion.  But  the  diffi- 
culties and  delays  experienced  in  the  outset,  were  multiplied 
in  its  progress. 

First  Conference.  On  the  8th  of  August,  the  envoys  of  the 
two  governments  held  their  first  conference,  the  object  of 
^hich  was  merely  to  bring  into  view  the  subjects  that  were 
likely  to  present  themselves  for  discussion  in  the  course  of 
the  negotiation.     On  the  part  of  the  British,  they  stated, 

1.  The  subject  of  impressment,  and  connected  with  it, 
<hat  of  natural  allegiance. 

•2.  A  pacification  with  the  Indian  allies  of  GreJit  Britain., 
and  an  establishment  of  a  permanent  Indian  boundary. 

3.  A  revision  of  the  boundary  line  between  the  British  and 
American  territories. 

4,  The  subject  of  the  fisheries  on  the  British  North  Ameri- 
can <:oa&t. 


"^  Instructions  of  the  25th  and  27th  of  June. 
^  Imtfwctions  of  the  11th  of  August. 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  501 

The  American  commissioners  stated,  that  on  the  first  and 
third  subjects  proposed  by  the  British,  they  were  instructed 
to  negotiate  :  on  the  second  and  fourth,  the  American  gov- 
ernment, not  knowing  that  there  was  any  controversy  upon 
these  subjects^  had  given  them  no  instructions.  As  further 
subjects  of  discussion,  they  proposed  a  definition  of  blockade 
and  other  neutral  and  belligerent  rights ;  and  claims  of 
indemnity  to  individuals  for  illegal  captures  and  seizures. 
Immediately  after  this  interview,  the  British  envoys  despatch- 
a  courier  to  London,  and  no  further  proceedings  were  had 
antil  his  return. 

Second  Conference, — British  sine  qua  nan.  On  the  19th 
of  August,  the  British  commissioners  proposed  another  con- 
ference •,  at  which  they  stated  as  a  preliminary,  without 
which  all  further  discussion  would  be  useless  :  that  the  In- 
•dians  must  be  included  in  the  pacification,  and  a  permanent 
boundary  established  for  them,  beyond  which  the  United 
States  should  never  purchase,  settle,  or  occupy  any  territory. 
The  region  which  should  be  included  between  the  Indian 
boundary  line,  and  the  British  possessions,  to  remain  for  ever 
uninhabited,  except  by  Indians,  and  as  a  permanent  barrier, 
between  the  British  and  American  territories.  The  boundary 
proposed,  subject  however  to  some  modifications,  was  the 
same  as  that  of  Wayne's  treaty  at  Granville,  in  the  year 
1795,  and  would  now  include  within  the  Indian  lines,  a  terri- 
tory as  extensive  as  one  quarter  of  the  United  States,  and 
one  hundred  thousand  white  inhabitants. 

Other  Claims.  This  being  agreed  to,  they  would  next 
proceed  to  discuss  their  other  claims,  the  most  prominent  of 
which  werCj  that  the  military  occupation  of  the  lakes  from 
Ontario  to  Superior,  both  inclusive,  should  be  held  exclu- 
sively by  the  British,  with  a  stipulation,  that  on  the  American 
lake  shore,  no  military  post  should  be  erected  within  a  speci- 
fied distance. 

A  direct  communication  by  land  between  Halifax  and  Que- 
bec, to  be  secured  to  the  British  bv  a  cession  of  that  part  of 


5m  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2^. 

the  state  of  Massachusetts  which  intervenes ;  this  they  ob- 
served was  now  in  their  possession,  and  must  be  confirmed  to 
them  as  the  price  of  peace. 

Moose  and  other  islands  in  Passamaquoddy  bay,  which  the 
United  States  have  held  since  the  peace  of  1783,  and  which 
the  British  have  taken  this  season,  to  be  ceded  to  them  as 
being  within  the  new  boundary. 

The  right  of  fishing  on  the  British  North  American  coast, 
and  curing  fish  on  the  uninhabited  islands  and  shores  hitherto 
enjoyed  by  the  Americans,  to  be  given  up. 

British  Claims  transmitted  to  America.  In  this  stage  of 
the  negotiation,  the  American  commissioners  ordered  the  John 
Adams  to  the  United  States,  with  their  despatches,  remarking, 
that  the  demands  of  Great  Britain  would  receive  from  them 
a  unanimous  and  decided  negative;  that  there  appeared  not 
the  least  hope  of  peace,  and  that  the  negotiation  would  proba- 
bly soon  close. 

These  documents  were  received  at  Washington  on  the 
10th  of  October,  and  immediately  communicated  to  congress, 
together  with  the  instructions  given  the  commissioners.  The 
disclosure  produced  but  one  sensation  in  the  United  States. 
All  concurred  in  the  opinion,  that  the  American  cabinet,  in 
its  instructions  to  the  negotiators,  had  gone  as  far  as  the  in- 
intercst  or  honour  of  the  United  States  would  permit  for  the 
attainment  of  peace.  They  saw  in  them  authority  given 
the  commissioners  to  pass  over  in  silence  every  object  for 
which  the  United  States  had  engaged  in  war ;  the  important 
subjects  of  impressment,  illegal  blockades,  and  compensation 
for  illegal  seizures  were  all  waived,  and  peace  sought  without 
even  a  recognition  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain  of  any  of  the 
American  claims.  No  citizen  of  the  United  States  wished 
the  government  to  make  further  concessions.  When  therefore 
they  saw  that  it  was  demanded  by  the  British  commissioners 
as  a  preliminary  to  any  further  proceedings,  a  permanent, 
irrevocable  cession  of  more  that  one  quarter  of  the  territory 
of  the  United   States,    to  a  few  Indian  tribes,  whom  the 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAU.  bOS 

British  had  associated  with  them  in  the  war  for  the  purpose  of 
desolating  the  American  frontier  :  when  they  saw  the  British 
seriously  claim  a  cession  of  a  considerable  portion  of  Massa- 
chusetts, for  the  accommodation  of  an  intercourse  between 
their  possessions,  and  the  exclusive  military  occupation  of  the 
lakes  with  a  prohibition  of  the  Americans  from  establishing 
military  posts  on  their  own  shores  ;  but  one  sentiment  pre- 
vailed as  to  the  propriety  of  rejecting  the  terms,  and  prose- 
cuting the  war  with  increased  vigour.  The  administration 
had  indeed  t^  bear  the  most  severe  strictures  of  that  portion 
of  the  American  nation  who  were  opposed  to  the  war  for 
bringing  the  country  into  so  unhappy  a  situation.  These 
censures  however  were  retorted  with  equal  severity  upon  the 
opposition,  who,  it  was  said,  by  their  open  and  avowed  dis~ 
affection  to  the  government,  the  obstructions  which  they  had 
thrown  in  the  way  of  carrying  on  the  war,  the  aids  they  had 
given  the  British,  and  the  symptoms  of  revolt  which  they  had 
manifested,  had  encouraged  the  enemy  to  to  continue  the 
war,  and  induced  these  extravagant  demands.  But  for  this 
opposition,  they  claimed,  peace  would  long  since  have  been 
obtained  upon  honourable  terms.  From  these  recriminations 
of  the  past,  both  parties  united  in  the  necessity  of  pov/erful 
exertions  in  future^  The  commissioners  were  now  daily  ex- 
pected home,  and  congress  were  preparing  the  arrangements 
necessary  to  meet  the  crisis. 

Reply  of  the  American  Commissioners  to  the  British  Claims r 
The  negotiations  however  still  continued.  On  the  24th  of 
August,  the  American  commissioners  addressed  a  note  to  the 
British,  stating  that  the  claims  advanced  by  them,  were  such 
as  none  but  a  conquered  nation  could  accept,  degrading, 
humiliating,  and  deeply  injurious  to  America,  and  of  no  solid 
advantage  to  Great  Brkain.  That  the  United  States  were 
not  in  a  situation  to  submit  to  such  degradation ;  and  even  if 
a  peace  could  be  now  obtained  upon  these  terms,  it  would  be 
of  very  short  duration.  They  further  represented,  that  a 
peace  with  the  Indian  tribes  would  necessarily  result  from  a 


504  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2?, 

peace  with  Great'Britain.  America  had  no  interest  or  incli- 
nation to  continue  the  war  with  the  Indians.  They  would  of 
course  be  restored  to  the  same  privileges  as  they  enjoyed 
before  the  war ;  these  enabled  them  to  enjoy  their  own  cus- 
toms, regulate  their  concerns,  and  improve  their  lands  in  their 
own  way,  until  they  were  willing  and  desirous  of  exchanging 
them  with  the  United  States  for  considerations  to  them  of 
more  vake.  The  American  commissioners  further  distinctly 
stated  to  the  British,  that  the  causes  of  the  war  having  disap- 
peared by  the  maritime  pacification  of  Europe,  the  United 
States  did  not  wish  to  continue  it  in  defence  of  abstract  princi- 
ples, w  hich  for  the  present  had  ceased  to  have  any  practical 
effect,  and  that  they  were  instructed  to  agree  to  its  termina- 
tion, both  parties  restoring  whatever  territory  they  had  taken, 
and  both  retaining  all  their  rights  in  relation  to  their  respect- 
ive seamen.  This  proposition  by  the  American  commission- 
ers, to  pass  over  in  silence  those  subjects  and  leave  them  as 
they  were  at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  was  transmitted 
by  the  British  commissioners  to  their  government,  and  in  the 
meantime  the  correspondence  between  the  commissioners 
continued  :  the  British  claiming  that  it  was  perfectly  obvi- 
ous, that  the  conquest  of  Canada  and  its  permanent  annexa- 
tion to  the  United  States  was  the  declared  object  of  the 
American  government ;  that  if  in  consequence  of  a  different 
course  of  events  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  the  United 
States  had  obtained  a  decided  superiority  in  that  quarter, 
they  would  have  availed  themselves  of  their  situation,  to  ob- 
tain on  the  side  of  Canada  important  cessions  of  territory  or 
the  entire  abandonment  of  that  country  by  Great  Britain. 

On  the  other  hand  the  American  commissioners  contended 
that  no  such  views  were  entertained  by  the  United  States. 
They  had  always  been  ready  and  desirous  of  peace,  upon 
an  adjustment  of  their  maritime  claims,  each  nation  retaining 
ils  territory  as  it  existed  before  the  war.  That  no  views  of 
Aggrandizement  or  desire  of  adding  to  their  territory  was 
justly  imputable  to  them. 


1H4>  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  505 

British  Commissioners  receive  additional  Instructions.  The 
British  ministry,  perceiving  that  the  American  government 
had  consented  to  waive  all  discussion  of  their  maritime  claims, 
and  that  no  cession  of  territoi-y  could  be  obtained,  gave  addi- 
tional instructions  to  their  cominissioners,  authorizing  them  to 
waive  the  subject  of  a  permanent  Indian  boundary,  and  their 
claims  respecting  the  military  occupation  of  the  lakes.  la 
In  pursuance  of  these  instructions,  on  the  8th  of  October,  the 
British  addressed  a  note  to  the  American  envoys,  proposing 
on  the  subject  of  an  Indian  pacification,  that  each  partjf 
should  stipulate,  that  immediately  after  the  conclusion  of 
peace,  hostilities  should  cease  between  them  and  the  Indian 
nations  with  whom  they  might  be  at  war,  and  the  Indians  re- 
stored to  all  the  possessions,  rights,  and  privileges  which  they 
enjoyed  before  the  war,  provided  the  Indian  nations  should 
on  their  part  cease  from  hostilities.  To  this  arraagement  th© 
American  commissioners  had  no  objections ;  though  a  stipula- 
tion of  this  nature  was  not  expressly  within  their  iastructionS;, 
they  agreed  to  it  provisionally. 

Their  Ultimatum  waived.  This  point  being  adjusted,  and 
the  American  maritime  claims  waived,  the  negotiation  pro- 
ceeded with  some  prospect  of  a  favourable  issue.  The  British 
commissioners  claimed  that  they  should  proceed  upon  the 
basis  of  each  party's  retaining  the  possessions  they  had  ac- 
quired at  the  commencement  of  the  negotiation,  subject  to 
such  modifications  as  mutual  convenience  might  suggest* 
This  principle  Would  give  to  the  British  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  the  province  of  Maine,  fort  Niagara  and  a  part  of  the 
Niagara  frontier,  and  to  the  Americans,  Amherstburgh,  and 
the  adjacent  territory.  The  American  envoys  claimed,  that 
these  possessions  occasionally  obtained  by  either  party  from 
the  other  in  the  course  of  the  war,  should  be  mutually  re- 
stored, and  each  party  placed  on  the  footing  they  stood  at 
its  commencement. 

Peace  concluded.  After  a  variety  of  negotiations  on  these 
topics  from  the  8th  of  October  to  the  24th  of  December,  .a 
definitive  treaty  of  peace  was  agreed  upon,  in  which  all  mart/ 


506  HISTORY  OF  THE  hATE  WAR,  Chap.  25, 

time  claims  were  passed  over  in  silence^  and  the  relations  of 
peace  and  amity  between  the  two  nations,  and  between  them 
and  the  Indians  within  their  hmits,  they  agreeing  to  it,  were 
restored.  Claims  for  past  injuries  were  waived,  and  each 
party  placed  upon  the  ground  they  were  before  the  war ; 
provision  was  made  for  the  survey  and  demarkation  ©f  the 
boundary  hne  between  the  United  States  and  the  British  pos- 
sessions, and  for  the  adjustment  of  all  difficulties  upon  that 
subject,  on  terms  of  reciprocity.  The  subject  of  fisheries 
upon  the  British  North  American  coast,  as  se  ;ured  to  the 
United  States  by  the  treaty  of  1783,  was  waived,  and  the 
privilege  of  fishing  and  curing  fish  on  these  coasts  not  being 
provided  for  in  this  treaty,  was  considered  as  given  up.  The 
treaty  was  ratified  by  the  Prince  Regent  on  the  27th  of  De- 
cember, arrived  in  the  United  States  on  the  11th,  and  was 
ratified  by  the  President  and  senate  on  the  17th  of  February^ 
Orders  were  immediately  despatched  in  every  direction  for 
the  cessation  of  hostilities. 

Orders  transmitted  to  General  Jacjcson  miscarry.  The 
postmaster  general,  despatched  a  special  messenger  to  Gen- 
eral Jackson  at  New-Orleans  with  the  treaty,  giving  orders  for 
the  postmasters,  and  mail  carriers  on  the  route,  to  furnish  re- 
lays, and  forward  by  evei^  means  in  their  power,  the  intelli- 
gence. By  some  accident  on  the  route,  the  messenger  in  his 
haste  exchanged  his  despatches  for  some  old  military  orders,, 
and  when  he  came  to  deliver  his  papers  to  General  Jackson^ 
instead  of  the  official  information  of  the  ratification  of  the 
treaty,  the  papers  produced,  were  the  old  military  orders. 
During  the  interval  between  the  first  unofficial  intelligence  oi 
peace,  and  the  official  information  of  the  ratification,  of  the 
treaty,  the  soldiers  of  the  army  and  the  citizens  of  New-Or- 
leans grew  impatient  of  military  restraint.  The  militia  were 
clamorous  for  their  discharge,  and  a  spirit  of  insubordination 
prevailed. 

Martial  Law  at  New-Orleans  continued.  The  General 
dieemed  it  necessary  as  long  as  there  was  aivy  enemy  in  the 
3ieighbourhood,  and  he  without  official    information:  of  thr 


1814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  ^0? 

ratification  of  the  treaty,  to  preserve  military  order,  and  not 
relax  in  his  system  of  defence* 

Lauvallier  arrested.  The  French  consul  had  given  certifi- 
cates of  French  citizenship  to  numbers  of  persons  in  the  mi- 
litia, the  object  of  which  was  to  exempt  them  from  miUtary 
services.  General  Jackson,  considering  these  persons  dan- 
gerous to  the  safety  of  the  city,  ordered  them  to  remove  into 
the  interior,  as  far  as  Baton  Rouge.  Lauvallier,  a  French- 
man, and  member  of  the  Louisiana  Legislature,  had  publish- 
ed several  pieces  in  the  New-Orleans  papers,  condemning 
the  measures  of  General  Jackson  for  the  defence  of  the  city, 
as  illega;!,  and  advising  the  citizens  that  they  were  not  bound 
to  obey  them.  He  was  also  suspected  of  holding  intercourse 
with  the  enemy.  General  Jackson,  by  virtue  of  the  powders 
which  he  claimed  in  consequence  of  his  proclamation  of  mar- 
tial law,  ordered  this  Frenchman  to  be  arrested,  and  tried  by 
a  court  martial. 

Habeas  Corpus  disobeyed.  On  the  6th  of  March,  Lau- 
valher  applied  to  Dominic  Hall,  judge  of  the  United  States 
district  court,  for  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus,  to  transfer  him 
from  a  military  to  a  civil  U-ibunal ;  this  was  granted,  and 
delivered  to  the  marshal  to  be  served  upon  the  General,  who 
considering  the  suspension  of  the  civil  authority  as  a  necessa- 
ry consequence  of  the  proclamation  of  martial  law,  refused 
obedience  to  the  writ,  dismissed  the  marshal,  retained  the 
prisoner,  and  subjected  him  to  trial.  He  also  arrested  and 
imprisoned  Judge  Hall  for  issuing  the  writ.  The  district  at- 
torney then  applied  to  judge  Lewis  for  a  habeas  corpus  in 
favour  of  judge  Hall.  He  also  was  arrested  under  martial 
law,  and  an  order  was  issued  for  the  arrest  of  judge  Lewis. 

Martial  Law  discontinued.  On  the  16th  of  March,  official 
intelligence  of  the  peace  having  arrived,  martial  law  ceased, 
and  the  civil  authorities  were  discharged  from  arrest. 

General  Jackson  arrested  for  contempt^  tried  before  the  Dis- 
trict Court,  and  convicted.  On  the  27th,  General  Jackson 
was  arrested  and  brought  before  the  United  States  district 
court,  holden  by  judge  Hall,  to  answer  to  an  alleged  contempt 


i08  mSTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chap.  2!^. 

of  that  fcourt  in  disobeying  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  in  the 
case  of  Lauvallier,  and  imprisoning  the  judge  who  granted 
the  process. 

The  general  alleged,  in  his  defence,  the  necessary  ex- 
istence of  riiartial  law  within  the  city  and  precincts  of  New- 
Orleans  at  the  tiriie  of  issuing  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  ;  so 
great  was  the  danger,  that  the  judge  himself  had  been  induced 
expressly  to  sanction  martial  law,  abandon  his  civil  functions, 
leave  the  city,  and  retire  to  a  place  of  safety  in  the  interior. 
The  suspension  of  civil  process  was  the  necessary  conse- 
quence of  the  sta  e  <  f  the  city,  and  of  the  proclamation  of 
martial  law.  The  genera*  also  claimed  the  right  of  trial  by  jury, 
as  secured  to  him  by  the  constitution  of  the  United  States : 
but  he  was  now  upon  trial  before  a  judge,  for  a  contempt  of 
his  authority,  and  the  imprisonment  of  his  person.  His  claim 
and  plea  were  over-ruled,  and  the  general  fined  a  thousand 
dollars  for  the  contempt.  He  was  accompanied  to  the  court 
hy  a  nunfierous  crowd  of  citizens,  who  considered  hirti  as  their 
deliverer.  The  appearance  of  the  scene  was  more  like  a 
military  parade  than  a  court  of  justice.  On  the  sentence 
being  pronounced,  he  was  borne  from  the  court-house  by  the 
cihzens,  placed  in  a  coach,  and  dra\Vn  by  them  to  his  lodgings, 
where  a  subscription  was  immediately  opened,  restricted  to  a 
dollar  a  man,  to  give  all  an  opportunity  to'  Subscribe,  to  pay 
his  fine  and  costs,  which  were  immediately  discharged. 

Rejoicings  in  the  United  Slates,  All  parties  in  the  United 
States  sincerely  rejoiced  at  the  news  of  peace.  The  expres- 
sions of  joy  were  the  more  lively  as  the  event  was  altogether 
unexpected.  Though  intelligence  had  been  received  after 
{lie  British  ultimatum  of  the  19th  of  August,  that  the  negotia- 
tions were  continued,  yet  it  was  of  such  a  character  as  to  forbid 
kny  well-grounded  expectations  of  a  favourable  result.  The 
American  commissioners,  on  the  25th  of  October,  which  was 
the  last  inteUigence  received  from  them  previous  to  the  arri- 
val of  the  treaty,  wrote  that  although  the  negotiations  had  not 
terminated  as  abruptly  as  at  the  date  of  their  last  despatches 
VSis  expected,  yet  ihey  find  no  reason  to  retract  the  opinion 


181.r.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR,  509^ 

therein  expressed,  that  no  hopes  of  peace,  as  likely  to  result 
from  it,  could  be  entertained.  Without  stopping  critically  id 
inquire  whether  the  treaty  secured  to  them  the  objects  for 
which  the  war  was  commenced,  the  people  of  the  United 
States  of  all  parties,  republicans  arid  federalists,  the  friends 
of  the  administration  and  the  opposition,  the  war  and  the  peace 
party,  united  in  celebrating  the  event.  Party  names  and  dis- 
tinctions tvere  for  a  moment  forgotten  ;  illuminations,  festi- 
X'als,  and  rejoicing^  in  various  forrhs,  were  had  in  almost  every 
city,  tbwn,  and  village  in  the  United  States. 

Presidents  Message  to  Congress  on  the  Peace.  In  commu- 
nicating this  event  to  Congress,  the  President  congratulates 
ihem  and  their  constituents  upon  an  event  which  is  highly  hon- 
ourable to  the  nation,  and  which  terminates  with  peculiar  fe- 
licity a  campaign  signalized  by  the  most  brilliant  successes. 
"The  late  war,"  he  remarks,  "  although  reluctantly  de- 
clared by  congress,  had  become  necessary  to  assert  the  rights 
and  independence  of  the  nation.  It  had  been  waged  with 
success,  the  natural  result  of  the  legislative  councils,  of  the  pat- 
riotism of  the  people,  of  the  public  spirit  of  the  militia,  and  of 
the  valour  of  the  mihtary  and  naval  force  of  the  country. 
Peace,  at  all  times  a  blessing,  is  peculiarly  welcome  at  a  pe- 
riod when  the  causes  of  the  war  had  ceased  to  operate,  when 
the  government  had  demonstrated  the  efficiency  of  its  pow- 
ers of  defence,  and  when  the  nation  can  review  its  conduct 
without  regret  or  reproach." 

The  President  recommends  to  the  care  and  beneficence  of 
congress  the  gallant  men  whose  achievements  in  every  depart- 
ment have  contributed  to  the  honour  of  the  American  name.- 
In  recommending  a  reduction  of  the  public  expenditures  to  the 
demands  of  a  peace  establishment,  he  observes,  "  that  impor- 
tant considerations  forbid  a  sudden  and  general  revocation  of 
the  measures  produced  by  the  war.  Experience  has  taught 
us  that  neither  the  pacific  dispositions  of  the  American  people, 
nor  the  pacific  character  of  our  pohtical  institutions,  altogeth- 
er exempt  them  from  the  strife  which  appears  to  be  incident 
to  this  period  of  the  world.  The  sfime  faithful  monitor  in- 
structs us  that  a  certain  degree  of  preparation  for  war  is  in- 


510  HISTORY  OP  THE  LATE  WAR..  Chap.  2ii. 

dispensable  to  prevent  disaster  in  the  outset ;  and  also  af- 
fords the  best  security  for  the  continuance  of  peace.  He 
concludes  with  fervently  wishing,  that  the  peace  which  has 
now  been  declared,  may  be  the  foundation  of  the  most  friend- 
ly intercourse  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain, 
and  productive  of  harmony  and  happiness  to  our  beloved 
country. 

Peace  Estahlishment.  The  period  for  which  the  13th  Con- 
gress was  elected  expired  on  the  3d  of  March  1815,  and  left 
but  fourteen  days  from  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  to  con- 
tinue the  session.  This  time  was  busily  employed  in  adapting 
their  arrangements  to  a  state  of  peace;  little  more  however 
could  be  done  than  to  provide  for  the  reduction  of  the  army, 
and  suspend  ship  building  on  the  lakes.  The  military  peace 
establishment,  after  much  controversy  between  the  houses, 
the  senate  putting  it  at  fifteen,  and  the  house  of  representa- 
tives at  six,  was  finally  fixed  at  ten  thousand. 

The  public  debt  at  the  close  of  the  war  con- 
sisted ©f  the  debt  of  the  revolution     .     .     .         g39,000,000 

The  present  war  debt 85,000,000 


g  123,000,000 
The  navy  consisted  of  five  seventy-fours,  not  completed ; 
six  forty-four  gun  frigates  ;  nine  from  thirty-six  to  twenty-four  5 
twenty-two  from  twenty  to  sixteen,  and  fifty  eight  smaller  ves- 
sels :  the  whole  carrying  two  thousand  guns.* 

Beneficial  results  of  the  War.  Although  the  United  States 
concluded  a  treaty  without  an  express  recognition  of  their 
maritime  rights ;  yet  the  war,  taken  in  connexion  with  all  its 


*  Report  of  secretary  of  navy,  December  1815. 

On  the  first  of  January,  1825,  the  navy  consisted  of  eleven  ships  of  the 
jine  of  seventy-four  guns,  twelve  frigates  from  thirty-two  to  forty-four 
guns,  the  steam  frigate  Fulton  of  thirty-six  guns,  and  a  considerable 
number  of  ships  of  war  of  the  smaller  class.  The  national  debt  at  the 
same  period,  amounted  to  $86,000,000.  The  receipts  at  the  treasury  du- 
ring the  preceding  year  were  $19,630,893.96,  being  something  more 
than  one-fifth  of  the  whole  debt. 


J  814.  HISTORY  OF  THE  LATE  WAR.  51! 

circumstances  and  cansequences,  has  secured  them  from  fu- 
ture violation.  Jt  has  fully  established  the  character  of  the 
United  States,  for  enterprise,  skill,  znd  bravery.  After  a  thirty 
years  peace,  a  war  of  two  years  drew  forth  an  army  able  to 
contend  on  equal  terms  with  European  veterans ;  and  pro- 
duced ships  of  war  which  never  shunned  a  combat,  or  failed 
of  success,  when  an  enemy  was  to  be  met  on  equal  ground.. 
The  enterprise  and  success  of  American  privateers  against 
British  commerce,  rendered  the  war  an  unpopular  and  unprof* 
itable  business  to  the  British  nation.  These  cruizers,  taking, 
stations  m  the  track  of  their  commerce,  on  their  coasts,  and 
at  the  entrance  of  their  harbours,  brought  the  warhonse  to  the 
British  merchant ;  and  in  the  loss  of  his  ships,  and  in  the  in- 
creased rate  of  insurance,  made  its  effects  severely  felt.  The 
war  has  pointed  out  to  the  American  nation,  by  a  series  of 
facts  too  plain  to  be  misapprehended,  the  proper  means  both 
of  annoyance  and  defence.  The  ravages  to  which  the  coast 
was  subject,  in  the  years  1813  and  14,  clearly  demonstrated 
the  necessity  of  a  naval  force  sufficient  for  its  protection,  and 
as  clearly  pointed  to  the  species  of  force  best  adapted  to  that 
object.  Experience,  a  convincing,  though  many  times  an  ex- 
pensive teacher,  annihilated  the  gun-boat  system,  and  induced 
the  building  of  ships  of  the  line  and  frigates  of  the  larger 
class  to  sucb  an  extent  as  will  effectually  protect  the  coast, 
from  any  fleet  which  a  European  nation  will  venture  to  spare 
from  her  own  shores  to  invade  the  American.  It  likewise  in- 
duced the  building  a  steam  ship  of  war  of  a  large  size,  and  al- 
though the  intervention  of  peace  prevented  its  efficacy  from 
being  tested  by  experiment,  yet  there  is  little  doubt  of  its  be- 
ing a  powerful  engine  of  harbour  defence.  The  enlargement, 
and  completion  of  the  fortifications  of  the  principal  ports, 
and  supplying  them  and  the  arsenals  with  the  munitions  of  war, 
constitute  another  important  result.  These  effects  of  the  war 
more  completely  secure  American  rights  from  future  violation^ 
than  the  strongest  treaty  stipulations  without  them.  European 
nations  now  see  that  America  hm  both  the  spirit  and  the 
means  of  defence,  and  her  government  the  ability  to  call 
them  into  acti*>n.     The  United  States  have  now  nothing  to 


^12  HISTORY  GF  THE  LATE  WAR.  Chaf.  m 

fear  from  invasion ;  possessed  within  themselves  of  every  ma- 
terial requisite  for  a  navy  to  any  desirable  extent,  and  a  supe- 
rior body  of  seamen,  they  are  abundantly  able  to  defend 
their  rights  on  the  ocean.  Though  they  may  probably  never 
find  it  necessary  to  create  a  navy  of  equal  magnitude  with  the 
British,  which  can  only  be  useful  for  the  purposes  of  conquest, 
they  will  always  have  it  in  their  power  to  call  into  operation 
one  sufficient  for  all  the  purposes  of  defence.  Possessed  of 
fifty  ships  of  war,  by  a  gradual  accumulation  of  the  imperish- 
able materials,  a  pavy  can  at  any  time  be  produced,  which 
will  cause  their  rights  to  be  respected.  British  maritime 
rights,  which  in  modern  language  have  been  construed  to 
mean  the  right  of  controlling  the  navigation  of  the  world,  must 
now  be  confined  within  their  legitimate  bounds.  America  is 
in  a  situation  never  again  to  submit  to  have  her  trade  de- 
stroyed, or  her  coasts  ravaged  with  impunity. 

The  severe  chastisement  which  the  Indians  of  the  west,  and 
south,  who  were  induced  to  join  the  British  standard,  have 
suffered,  has  rendered  the  frontier  secure  from  future  ravages? 
The  effects  of  the  war  will  extend  much  beyond  the  tribes 
who  have  suffered ;  there  is  now  very  little  danger  of  any 
Indian  nation  ever  so  remote,  who  has  heard  of  the  names 
and  deeds  of  Jackson  and  Harrison,  being  seduced  into  hos- 
tilities against  the  United  States,  either  by  their  own  religious 
fanatics  or  foreign  influence.  Peace  with  them  may  be  con- 
sidered as  more  firmly  established,  and  the  frontiers  more  se- 
cure than  at  any  former  period.  These  are  some  of  the  ben- 
.eficial  results  of  the  war ;  in  them  every  American  has  a  deep 
interest.  They  havo  happily  served  to  wear  off  the  asperi- 
ties, and  reconcile  the  conflicting  interests  and  opinions,  which 
attended  its  commencement  and  progress.  Party  spirit  i& 
fast  subsiding,  and  though  at  times  it  is  attempted  to  be  resus- 
citated, yet  it  must  soon  resolve  itself  into  a  united  effort,  to 
promote  the  happiness  of  a  great  and  growing  nation^ 


THE    E*JD, 


r 


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